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The Sea Beggars 



The Sea Beggars 



Liberators of Holland from the Yoke of Spain 



By' 
DINGMAN VERSTEEG 




1901 
CONTINENTAL PUBLISHING CO. 

24 Murray Street, New York 



i LiiC :-A TJOd 



/ 7"" j' O C3 






Copyright 1901, bt 
Continental Publishing Co. 

thb pbquod prbss 

NSW YORK 



Gratefully Dedicated 
To 

THEODORE M. BANTA 

{^Secretary of the Holland Society of New York) 

WHOSE GENEROUS INTEREST IN THE HISTORY OF 
THE LAND OF HIS DUTCH ANCESTORS 
RENDERED POSSIBLE THE PUB- 
LISHING OF THIS WORK. 



Contents. 

PAGE 

Preface 7 

Introduction 15 

Part L 
The Sea Beggars as Freebooters. 

I. Their Origin and First Appearance.. . . 29 

II. The Sea Beggars as an Organization.. . 55 

III. Under their Second Admiral y6 

IV. Under Baron Lumey 118 

Part 11. 
The Sea Beggars as Liberators. 

I. The Capture of Briel 139 

II. The Revolution at Flushing 157 

III. The Change at Veer 170 

IV. Zierikzee Lost and Regained 175 

V, The Cities North of the Y 188 

5 



6 Contents. 

The Sea Beggars as Liberators (continued). 

PAGE 

VI. Alcmaria Victrix 200 

VII. The Battle of the Zuyderzee 216 

VIII. The Capture of Middelburg 232 

IX. The ReHef of Leyden 262 

Pari IIL 
Passing of the Sea Beggars. 

Final Efforts to Free Friesland 321 



Preface. 

THE revolt of the Netherlands against Spain in 1568, 
changed the political aspect of the greater part of the world. 

It is because of this revolt, and the war of eighty years 
following, that the people of these United States are not a 
Spanish-speaking nation, but are, instead, an English-speak- 
ing one. 

If Philip II. of Spain, with his Spanish advisers at Madrid, 
and his governor-general in the Netherlands, had — in their 
dealings with the Netherland people — practised moderation 
and had exercised wise statesmanship, the Dutch would not 
have revolted. Possibly for one century and a quarter longer 
they would have remained loyal to the Spanish Hapsburgs, 
and have aided — or at least not opposed — the aims of 
Spain. 

One of those aims was the subjugation and colonization of 
the entire American hemisphere. At the outbreak of the 
eighty years' war for Dutch independence, Spanish rule was 
firmly established far into the territory at present em- 
braced within the boundaries of these United States. And, 
at the time mentioned, there did not exist a single European 
Power strong enough to have interposed effectively between 
mighty Spain and her ambitious aims. 

Long before the most advanced European nation of the 
period would have become powerful enough successfully to 
attempt territorial aggrandizement in any part of the terri- 

7 



8 Preface. 

tory at present occupied — on this continent — by the United 
States of North America, that territory would have been 
settled and firmly held by large numbers of Spanish-speak- 
ing colonists. These colonists — supported by the armies 
and navies of the powerful and wealthy mother-country — 
would have frustrated any attempted encroachment by the 
other nationalities. 

It was owing only to the weakness of Spain, consequent 
upon the eighty years' war, that the English were permitted to 
gain and retain a foothold on this northern part of the West- 
ern hemisphere. Had the reigning family and the author- 
ities of Spain exercised wise forethought in their dealings 
with the Netherland people, Spanish domination — assisted 
by Dutch cooperation under Spanish supremacy — would 
have rendered the whole of this territory Spanish many 
years before the English would have become strong enough 
to attempt the conquest and the independent settling of any 
part of the American continent. And — in the light of 
history — it is safe to assert that the French occupation of 
Canada, if partly successful at first, would have been of brief 
duration in the face of the united attacks of Spain and the 
Spanish-speaking colonists. 

As it was, the Spaniards not only were obliged to forego 
the active cooperation of the Dutch, but were even forced, 
before long, to carry on a war of defense against them in Eu- 
rope, as well as on the high seas and in the distant colonies. 
The Spanish losses during this war of eighty years' duration, 
were appalling; not only in men but even more so in 
treasure. 

Several richly-laden Spanish fleets and innumerable single 
merchant vessels were captured by the Dutch, to the great 
injury of Spanish subjects and government. The output of 
the American gold-diggings and silver-mines, destined to 



Preface. 9 

defray the expense of the war against the Dutch, fell into 
their hands, enabling them to fight the Spaniards with 
the Spaniards' own weapons. Even as far east as the Philip- 
pine Islands,"* the Dutch privateers harassed Spanish com- 
merce, and captured Spanish merchantmen. 

Under these conditions it was impossible for much-afflicted 
Spain — now attacked also by other enemies — to extend any 
further her dominions in the New World. She now was 
able only to defend and keep what she had successfully 
colonized. Small Spanish garrisons, assisted by the colo- 
nists themselves, usually succeeded in preserving for Spain 
the larger part of the American territory, where strong Span- 
ish-speaking settlements had grown up during, the century 
of colonization under undisputed Spanish supremacy. That 
those settlements were strong and able to defend success- 
fully their Spanish allegiance against alien encroachment, is 
proved by the several futile attempts of the English — aided 
by the American colonists of the various nationalities then 
acknowledging English sway — to subdue parts of Spanish 
America. 

But Spain — since the beginning of the eighty years' war 
— was powerless to oppose the influx of French, English, 
Dutch, and Swedes into the North American territories not 
yet occupied by continuous and strong Spanish-speaking 
colonies. These four nationalities now were able to appro- 
priate to themselves large slices along the North Atlantic 
coast-line of the American continent, peopling them with 
settlers of their own nationality, under their own language, 
laws, and flag. 

Had it not been for the partial disintegration of the 
Spanish empire — owing to this eighty years' war, and to the 

* See pages 41-44 " The Philippine Islands," by Ramon Reyes Lala. 



10 Preface. 

tremendous losses engendered by it — Spain would, without 
great trouble, have kept out every other nation. Spanish 
domination, then, would have become an accomplished fact. 
The Spanish language — as a result of settlement under 
Spanish authority — would have been the language of this 
part of the Western hemisphere, as well as of Mexico, 
South and Central America. 

Even the accident of Brazil being a Portuguese, instead of 
a Spanish-speaking, country, is directly traceable to Spain's 
tremendous losses and to the condition of bankruptcy 
brought about by the eighty years' war. 

And at present history is repeating itself. The Boers of 
the South African plains, beneath the Southern Cross, are 
doing to the greatest maritime power of the twentieth cen- 
tury what the Sea Beggars of the Netherlands had been 
doing to the greatest land-power of the sixteenth century. 

If England should continue in this unholy South African 
contest for gold and dominion, she will bankrupt herself. 
The small forces of the Boers of South Africa may not be 
able — and probably will not attempt — to defeat in pitched 
battles the tremendous English forces that have invaded and 
laid waste their countries. But the long duration of the 
South African struggle will ruin England, as Spain was 
ruined through the eighty years' war. For many years 
longer the Boers will hold out as their prototypes of the 
Netherlands before them held out. 

England's security and her status as a World Power — all 
other conditions being favorable — depend upon the 
English navy. And with the ever-increasing expenditures 
— growing out of this South-African war — it will, before 
long, become impossible for the English to add to their fleet 
or even to repair what is going to decay. It will be the 
case of Spain over again. England's rivals, if they be wise 



Preface. ii 

and do not permit themselves to be embroiled with one 
another, will be able to build up their navies, and found 
their maritime greatness, upon the ruins of England's 
solvency. 

After the eight}'-y ears' war had cost Spain more than fifty 
millions of guilders, Spanish energ}- in its prosecution began 
to slacken. Since its first beginning in 1568, Spain was 
really three times only in a condition to put forth any great 
effort to bring about a favorable ending of the contest. 

The first supreme effort, in 1588, ended in the disasters 
to the Spanish Armada by the storms of the season ; the 
second great attempt, in 1600, was frustrated by Prince 
Maurice's brilliant and decisive victor}- of Nieuwpoort, and the 
third and last attempt, in 1639, ™^^ ^'^^^ ^^ ignominious 
defeat at the hands of the great Tromp, near the Downs in 
the English Channel. 

Ever since the Sea Beggars took Briel, the eighty-years* 
war was, in general, on the part of the Spaniards, nothing 
but one prolonged effort to keep what they yet possessed ; 
only seldom to regain what they had lost. The eighty 
years' war, hence, soon became to Spain largely a defensive 
war. 

And the same is true, at present, of the operations by the 
English in South Africa. After the Boers had permitted 
Earl Roberts (of Pretoria) to lead his troops into those delu- 
sive Boer traps — Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, and Pretoria 
— the war, on the part of the English, has continually been 
a war of defense. They have not even been able to hold 
all they thought they had securely annexed. Concentration 
of garrisons has become the order of the day. The Boers 
have everywhere entered upon the offensive. 

The only effectual way to fight the Dutch during the eighty 
years' war was by employing ships. Those ships — when 



12 Preface. 

united into fleets — either fell into the hands of the Dutch or 
were destroyed, or else were sunk in battle, or succumbed 
to the fury of the elements. Spain's greatest pecuniary 
losses originated through the equipment and destruction of 
armadas, aided by the distance of the scene of operations, 
several hundred miles away, from the home-country. 

The only effective way of fighting the noble Africander 
patriots is by using horses. And in this instance again we 
see a virtual repetition of history. At least twenty-five 
thousand " salted " horses would be needed simultaneously 
to carry on English operations against the brave defenders 
of South Africa's liberty. 

And in view of the fact that — on an average — an imported 
horse lasts six weeks only, a quarter of a million of horses 
per annum, at an annual cost of a hundred million dollars, 
would be needed to carry on an offensive warfare by South 
Africa's devastators : the English civilizers. 

The cost of this iniquitous war, if continued, will bank- 
rupt England. Even if the struggle should last only ten 
years, the English national debt will have been increased by 
little less than three thousand million dollars, besides the 
piling up of an unbearable burden of direct and indirect 
taxes. 

At present the credit of the English nation is yet good 
enough to enable them to borrow at the lowest rates of cur- 
rent interest. But this also will cease. With the piling-up 
of the English national debt, and the certain difficulty of 
meeting England's monetary obligations, the capitalists — 
at present still eager to lend — will then become suspicious, 
and the English people will be able to borrow money only 
at greatly-advanced rates of interest. 

England's industrial and commercial prosperity is declin_ 
ing fast. An6i cot Salisbury's panacea even — the study of 



Preface. 13 

foreign languages — will arrest this downward course. It is 
only natural. The United States, Russia, Germany — not to 
mention other growing countries, all richer than England in 
natural resources, and in more favorable geographical posi- 
tions — are to-day straining every nerve to relegate the Eng- 
lish to the position where they belong. And the process has 
but just begun. The decrease of the people's earnings, the 
large increase of taxation, the continuous drains upon the 
English, through the interest of their huge national debt — 
coupled with a decreasing earning-capacity as a nation — will 
— if this South African war be much prolonged — reduce 
England to the condition of Spain and Turkey, and Salis- 
bury will soon be able to add one more name to his list 
of dying nations. 



Introduction. 



Accident of birth had made a foreign potentate lord of all 
the Netherlands. Philip II., King of Spain, " The Spanish 
Tiberius," was alien by birth, as well as by sentiment, to his 
Netherland subjects. He deemed himself able to impose 
upon them his royal prerogative, as he and his father before 
him had succeeded in doing in the dominions of Spain. Soon 
after Philip's accession to the throne he endeavored, 
through his representatives at Brussels, to rule his Nether- 
land provinces in the same manner as he was ruling his 
other inheritances, — by the simple declaration of his royal 
pleasure. 

But the Netherlands, though ruled from Madrid, were 
neither a dependency of Spain nor an appanage of the 
Spanish Crown. They were independent States, some of 
which acknowledged Philip as Duke, others as Count, others 
as Margrave, others as Lord, but all with definitely recog- 
nized privileges and charters, which he had solemnly sworn 
to respect upon his accession to the throne. 

In August, 1559, Philip was about to depart for his native 
Spain ; he then promised the States-General of the Nether- 
land provinces to remove from their country, within four 
months, the Spanish troops that had fought under his father 
in the Franco-Spanish wars. But not until 1561, when the 
Spanish King absolutely needed them in the Mediterranean* 
did he relieve the Netherlands of the hated presence of the 
alien soldiery. 

15 



i6 Introduction. 

He was equally remiss in regard to his promise not to in- 
vest foreigners with Netherland offices, whether civil, ecclesi- 
astical or military. This promise also had been broken ; 
the Cardinal Granvelle had not only been appointed a mem- 
ber of the Council of State, — the highest advisory body in 
the land, — but he was specially favored and exclusively con- 
sulted by the regent, Margaret of Parma. This displeased 
the nobles to such an extent that, in March, 1563, they 
leagued themselves against him, while some of the greatest 
nobles of the land, such as William the Silent, the Counts of 
Egmont and Hoorn, and others, resigned their seats in the 
Council of State on account of the insolent Granvelle's posi- 
tion therein. The nobles did not leave a stone unturned to 
bring about his fall ; not succeeding, they did all that lay in 
their power to make Granvelle appear ridiculous in the eyes of 
the people. Even the king had been appealed to about the 
matter, but without avail. 

At last the regent herself was forced to pray the king for 
Granvelle's recall ; but even she was refused. So great was 
the opposition of all classes of the people that, notwithstand- 
ing the royal favor and the support of the regent, Gran- 
velle requested his discharge. Accordingly, in April, 1564, 
he left the country, where, owing to his insensate pride and 
contempt for the natives, he had incurred the universal 
hatred of all classes of the people. 

This Granvelle incident not only did much to weaken the 
popular respect for the government, but detached many a 
noble from the cause of Spain, and also laid the foundation 
of the opposition that culminated in the eighty years' war 
for liberty. 

But with Granvelle's departure the reactionary measures 
of the government did not cease. In vain petitions and pro- 
tests rained. When, at last, every remonstrance had been 



Introduction. 17 

ignored by the king at Madrid, as well as by his regent in 
the Netherlands, twenty nobles, on November 6th, 1565, as- 
sembled at Spa and agreed upon a compact, called the 
" Compromis," or " Covenant of the Nobles." This com- 
pact was effected for the purpose of resisting every attempt 
against the ancient liberties of their country, and the impo- 
sition of the royal will in constitutional States. 

The alliance soon numbered four hundred members, and 
before a year had passed it possessed a membership of six- 
teen hundred, — nobles as well as prominent burghers. Much 
was expected from this covenant ; but the only important 
act, before dissolution, was the presentation to the regent 
Margaret of Parma of a remonstrance against the arbitrary 
measures of the government, and the accidental furnishing 
of a rallying and battle-cry to the patriot forces. 

On April 5th, 1566, three hundred splendidly attired but 
unarmed nobles went in procession to the Court of Brabant 
at Brussels, where the "Regent resided. Here the head of 
the covenant, Count Hendrik Van Brederode, presented to 
Margaret a petition in which the popular grievances had 
been set forth, at the same time praying for redress. The 
regent, upon seeing so imposing a body of nobles united 
against the measures of the government, appeared to be 
afraid, but the Count of Barlaymont, one of her courtiers, 
endeavored to allay her fears by whispering in her ear: 
" Do not be afraid, madam ; it is only a pack of beggars." 
This whisper was understood by Brederode. 

The following evening a banquet of the nobles was given 
at the ancient Court of Gaasbeeck, then the palace of Floris 
Van Palland, Count of Culemborgh. Brederode told them 
of the nickname applied to them the day before. He ad- 
vised his companions of the banquet-hall to adopt the oppro- 
brious appellation as a distinct party-name. His suggestion 



i8 Introduction. 

was adopted, and the banquet-hall immediately reverberated 
with enthusiastic cries of " Long live the Beggars ! " 

From that time it became the rallying call and the battle- 
cry of the opponents of Spanish domination and absolutism 
in the Netherlands. " Vivent les Gueux, Leve de Geuzen, 
Long live the Beggars ! " soon resounded from one end of 
the land to the other, from the dykes of Friesland and Gro- 
ningen to the hills and forests of Hainault and Flanders ; 
from the eastern shores of the North Sea to the distant 
coasts of Biscay, and far into the Atlantic Ocean. Nor did 
it die entirely away till after eighty years of fearful struggle 
and carnage the Dutch people had established for themselves a 
position among the nations, and the Dutch Republic took 
rank as a World Power. 

While Margaret of Parma was yet Regent of the Nether- 
lands, the opposition against Spanish absolutism had taken 
shape in the refusal of Valenciennes to admit a royal garrison. 
And for this offense against the king's government the city, 
in the month of December, 1566, was invested by Noir- 
carmes. On March 24th, 1567, the unfortunate town was 
obliged to yield, and the cruel supporter of the divine right 
of kings, in direct violation of the conditions of surrender, 
ordered the larger part of the inhabitants to be executed. 
This perfidy was only the prelude to what was to follow 
under the administration of the Duke of Alba. 

Hendrik Van Brederode, a lineal descendant of the first 
Count of Holland, who possessed a more divine right to rule 
the country than did the Spanish King, now began to fortify 
his castles at Ameide and Vianen. For this purpose 
William the Silent sent him three pieces of artillery, and 
here the partisans of liberty began to congregate and to arm. 
His example was speedily followed by many other nobles. 
To be prepared for coming events, Brederode secretly en- 



Introduction. 19 

listed a small army of three thousand men, the partisans of 
freedom and progress in the country sending him provisions 
and ammunitions. 

The regent now ordered Brederode to surrender un- 
conditionally to the regal authority. As answer to the sum- 
mons, he openly took up arms; and, in February, 1567, he 
threw troops into 's Hertogenbosch (Bois le Due). His 
troops, however, were forced to evacuate the city during the 
following month of April. He next made an attempt against 
Utrecht, but it miscarried. 

Lack of means now forced him to disband his army, por- 
tions of which continued for a long time to infest the open 
country of the provinces of Utrecht, Holland, and Gelderland. 
Brederode himself went to Amsterdam, where the friends of 
freedom had revolted. For a few weeks he succeeded in 
rendering their cause victorious within the walls of the prin- 
cipal city of Northern Netherland. But it lasted only a little 
while. The principal partisans of liberty at Amsterdam, 
discouraged by the terrible defeat of Jan Van Marnix at 
Oosterweel, and, fearful of a fate similar to that of Valen- 
ciennes, requested permission of the authorities to sell their 
possessions and quit the country. This permission was 
granted on April 26th, 1567, and now began a general flight. 
Thousands quitted the country ; among them, on April 27th, 
Count Hendrik Van Brederode. On February 15th, 1568, 
this brilliant and ardent patriot died at the castle of Harm- 
hof, in Germany, a poor exile from the country that he had 
so valiantly endeavored to set free. The time had not yet 
come. 

At the same time that Brederode surprised 's Hertogen- 
bosch, an attempt also was made to gain a foothold for the 
partisans of liberty in the city of Middelburg, situated on 
the Island of Walcheren, in the province of Zeeland. Pieter 



20 Introduction. i 

Haeck, ex-bailiff of Middelburg, had equipped three vessels 
in the neighborhood of Antwerp. Jan Dingmans, a navi- 
gator of Tholen, had been entrusted with the command of 
the ships, while the troops on board were officered by Jan 
Van Marnix, Lord of Tholouse, Jan Van Blois Van Treslong, 
and Wessel Van Boetselaar. Many influential residents of 
Walcheren knew of it, and favored the attempt. 

In the second half of February, 1567, the expedition de- 
scended the river Scheldt, and appeared before Rammekens, 
a fortress on the Island of Walcheren. But the Spanish 
commander had been informed of the project, and was alert. 
Nothing could be hopefully undertaken against this strong- 
hold ; and the brave little squadron now proceeded to Arne- 
muiden, at that time the outer harbor of Middelburg. Here 
also they were unable to force an entrance ; they were 
obliged to ascend the Scheldt, and return to their starting- 
point. Van Marnix disembarked his troops at Oosterweel, 
at some distance from Antwerp, while Haeck and Dingmans 
probably went to sea with the ships, and may have been the 
forerunners of the Sea Beggars. 

While encamped at Oosterweel, Van Marnix's forces, 
greatly augmented by continual additions of discontented 
people, lived exclusively upon the surrounding country. 
But as soon as the regent had been apprised of Van 
Marnix's whereabouts, she despatched the Lord of Beauvais, 
an ardent royalist, with eleven hundred regulars, against the 
undisciplined band of insurgents. Hardly any watch was 
kept in the scattered encampments of the revolutionists, and 
on March 13th, 1567, Beauvais easily surprised and totally 
defeated them. Van Marnix and Van Boetzelaer were 
killed in the onslaught. Blois Van Treslong was captured, 
and on June ist, 1568, expiated his crime of patriotism on 
the scaffold at Brussels. Fifteen hundred of the insurgents 



Introduction. 21 

lost their lives during the battle. Of the three hundred sur- 
vivors, the major part were captured and executed. Only a 
few were fortunate enough to escape and to join the ranks 
of the Savage, or Forest, Beggars, who, at that time, roamed / 
throughout the forests and marshes of Southern Netherland. ' 

These failures, and the expatriation of thousands of 
patriots, struck terror into the hearts of the people, and 
every open opposition to governmental arbitrariness ceased. 
For the time, royal despotism held supreme sway in the 
country, its representatives trampling underfoot the liberties 
of an entire nation. 

These successes, and the report that a Spanish army, 
under the Duke of Alba, was ready to depart for the Nether- 
lands, not only ruptured what had been left of the confedera- 
tion of the nobles, but also induced Prince William the 
Silent, on April 22 nd, 1567, to take refuge in his German 
dominions, and to abandon for a while the project of 
delivering the Netherland people from the yoke of Spain. 

His example was followed by many thousands of others : 
nobles, prominent burghers, skilled artisans. Large num- 
bers of people that possessed neither the means to pay for 
their passage nor boasted wealthy friends to assist them out 
of the country, congregated in the woods and among the 
mountains of the Southern country, and under the appella- 
tion of Wilde Geuzen, or Savage Beggars, wreaked terrible 
vengeance upon some of the authors of their misfortune. 
The number of fugitives was so large that there were not 
enough ships at Amsterdam to convey them to the hos- 
pitable port of Emden, in the county of East Friesland. 
Many cloth-weavers, especially from the southern provinces, 
sought refuge in England. 

On August 22nd, 1567, Alba entered the capital of Brussels, 
at the head of more than twenty thousand Spanish troops. 



22 Introduction. 

The incipient rebellion had been crushed ; the heads of the 
revolt had submitted or sought refuge in foreign lands. An 
entire nation lay prostrate at the feet of the representative of 
regal power. And now the punishments began. For this 
purpose the new governor-general instituted the Council of 
Troubles. Owing to its cruel and arbitrary sentences, it 
soon became known by the popular appellation, Council of 
Blood. 

Not only those who had committed an overt act of dis- 
obedience against the royal will were punished, but even the 
signers of simple petitions against governmental measures 
were sentenced to banishment, imprisonment, confiscation of 
their property, and cruel death. And when, on February 
26th, 1568, Philip II. had ratified the sentence of the Spanish 
Inquisition, which condemned to death every Netherlander, 
with a few unnamed exceptions, the bloodthirsty Alba had 
free play ; he was at liberty to act as he pleased with a 
people he detested. 

Now a reign of terror began, its counterpart unparalleled 
in the annals of history. For six long and terrible years the 
executioner's sword and the hangman's rope were in action, 
disposing of the victims of Alba's tyranny and greed, the 
stake and the waters of the country supplying additional 
means for ridding the alien of troublesome or wealthy sub- 
jects. The entire country resembled a huge slaughter- 
house of human beings. Now was the time that a popular 
Netherland poet sings of : 

" And Netherland's soft soil throbbed 'neath the weight of woe." 

To escape from the fury of the human Spanish blood- 
hounds, tens of thousands more left the country, and found 
refuge in the maritime cities of England and Northern Ger- 
many, in the towns along the Rhine, or joined the hordes of 
French, Danish, Scottish, and English freebooters that in- 



Introduction. 23 

fested these northern seas and the coasts of the Atlantic. 
Commerce and industry had been prostrated ; cities formerly- 
prosperous now became the abode of poverty, and presented 
the picture of decay. The amount of taxes to be paid, 
however, kept on increasing. Although Alba despised the 
people, he entertained the most extravagant ideas of the 
country's riches. 

In their extremity the eyes of the entire people now turned 
in the direction of Germany, where the princely exile, William 
the Silent, was doing all he could to succor the distracted 
Netherlanders. Assisted by his four brothers and several 
other kinsmen and friends, he equipped an army to expel 
the Spaniards from the country. 

The first pitched battle of the eighty years' war occurred 
on April 25th, 1568, at Daelhem in Southern Netherland, 
resulting in the total rout of the patriot forces. Count 
Louis, a brother of William, had at first been more fortunate. 
On May 23rd, 1568, he conquered the Spaniards atHeiliger- 
lee, in the province of Groningen, but on July 21st he was 
in turn defeated by Alba, near Jemgum, in East Friesland. 

William himself, with an army of twenty-one thousand 
soldiers, on October 7th, 1568, suddenly crossed the river 
Maas near Maastricht, for the purpose of invading the coun- 
try, and delivering it from Spanish oppression. He hoped 
for assistance, in money and men, from the Netherland 
people ; but the fear of the Spaniards prevented any open 
espousal of the cause. Not indeed until the prince had at- 
tained some important success would the people dare to 
declare themselves. 

Alba, with an army of twenty-eight thousand veteran 
soldiers, strongly intrenched himself near the prince's camp, 
and, without offering or accepting battle, continually followed 
William's army wherever it went. Knowing that the prince 



24 Introduction. 

would soon be forced to disband his hireling troops, because 
of lack of means to pay them, the wily Spaniard always 
succeeded in evading a decisive encounter. Twenty-nine 
times the prince changed his position to tempt Alba to give 
him battle. Twenty-nine times Alba followed him up, in- 
trenching himself so strongly that each time William was un- 
able to attack him successfully. But on December 4th, 1 568, 
the prince was obliged at last to evacuate the country. He 
marched upon Strassburg and there disbanded his army, 
sold his artillery to pay his soldiers in part, and returned to 
his German dominions. 

Again the attempt to liberate the Netherlands had failed. 
The Spanish King was now the absolute master of a proud 
and liberty-loving people. It was at this time that Alba had 
his statue made from the cannon conquered at Jemgum, and 
which, in 157 1, he erected in the fortress of Antwerp. Had 
he but shown clemency, and practised liberality in his deal- 
ings with the people, the Netherlands might have been saved 
for many years more to the Spanish King, while, at the 
same time, the course of events in Europe would have been 
totally different. Fortunately for the world, however, the 
tyrant knew not how nor cared to gain the good-will of a 
nation whom he had at his mercy, yet whose spirit he had 
not conquered. 

Persecution, condemnation, confiscation and cruel execu- 
tion again became the order of the day. The Duke of 
Alba, through his oppression, estranged still more the hearts 
of the people from a king who had thus dared to permit his 
servants to trample upon their holiest convictions and most 
cherished rights. But however tyrannical, unjust, and cruel 
the duke might be, his rage had, as yet, been directed only 
against individuals, although at the close of his six years* 
rule he had had executed more than forty thousand victims. 



Introduction. 25 

Soon after his successes in the field, this governor-general 
began to enact measures that touched the whole nation, 
friends and foes alike of his government. In the year 1569, 
two years after his arrival in the country, — one year after his 
success against the prince and his brother Louis, — Alba 
resolved to render himself independent of the States-Gen- 
eral, the representatives of the people. 

It was customary with the sovereign of each province to 
request annually the States of every province to grant him 
the yearly taxes called beden. This custom, denoting the 
dependence of the sovereign upon the people, did not suit 
Alba. With his extravagant notions about royal preroga- 
tive and the divine right of kings, he deemed it beneath the 
king's dignity to run the risk of being refused, especially 
since the States, when granting the annual beden, almost 
invariably made the grants the excuse for demanding new 
privileges and exemptions. 

Alba, therefore, and for the purpose of drawing more money 
from the country, demanded, for once, the hundredth penny, 
or one per cent, of every one's possessions, the twentieth 
penny of all real estate, and the tenth penny of all 
personal estate, whenever sold. Every man rose in 
arms against this system of taxation, especially against the 
twentieth and the tenth penny, which, combined, was 
denominated "the tenth penny." The hundredth penny 
was generally paid, but the tenth penny was as generally 
refused, because, it was said, it would ruin the country's 
commerce and industries. 

In some of the provinces the detested tax was bought off \ 
for two years, upon the payment of large amounts of money. 
The city of Utrecht, the center of opposition against this im- 
position, constantly appealed to its written charters and 
exemptions, in the manful stand it maintained against the 



26 Introduction. 

payment of the illegal taxes. But the tyrant stationed a 
strong garrison at Utrecht, at the expense of the city, and 
caused all its written evidences of privileges to be forwarded 
to the Vredenburg, — the fortress dominating the city. Still 
the opposition did not cease, and heavier punishment was 
contemplated. 

At the beginning of 1572 the period of exemption — granted 
j to some of the provinces — expired. The duke again made 
ready to enforce his decrees regarding the tax. The 
business men and shopkeepers of every kind preferred 
closing their stores and places of business rather than sub- 
mit. In several towns real want existed, as nobody was dis- 
posed to sell, not even under compulsion. Alba resolved, by 
the most vigorous measures, to put a stop to the opposition. 
It was rumored that at Brussels, the capital of the country, 
Alba had, without any process of law, ordered seventeen of 
the recalcitrants to be hanged in their own doorways — for 
daring to refuse payment of the tax, and keeping their stores 
closed. 

Fortunately, however, the capture of the city of Briel by 
the Sea Beggars, on April ist, 1572, suddenly arrested the 
oppressor's plans, and not only saved his intended victims 
an untimely and a cruel death, and the country an unconsti- 
tutional tax, but caused Spain's King the loss of one of the 
brightest jewels in his crown. 



Part L 

The Sea Beggars as Freebooters. 



The 

Sea Beggars, 

Chapter One. 
Their Origin and First Appearance. 

SPANISH tyranny had driven more than one hundred 
thousand of the most intelligent and progressive of 
the Netherland people into exile. Thousands — the 
English historian Froude says twenty thousand — had 
taken up their abode in the maritime cities of England — in 
London, Sandwich, Colchester, Norwich, Ipswich, Harwich, 
Lynn, and Maidstone. These Netherland exiles greatly 
benefited the English industries, especially the woolen indus- 
try at Norwich, Sandwich, and Colchester ; so much so, in 
fact, that the complaint was made that the seat of this in- 
dustry would soon be entirely removed from Flanders and 
Brabant to England. 

Tens of thousands had received a hearty welcome among 
their nearest kin in Germany ; where — especially in the sea- 
board cities — because of a common origin, the language and 
customs closely resembled those of the Netherlands. Emden, 
Wesel, Cleves, Bremen, Aix la Chapelle, Hamburg, Lubeck, 
Heidelberg, Frankenthal, Konigsberg, Cologne, Dillenburg 
sheltered the larger part of the exiles, while many other 
German cities on the Rhine, the Ems, the Elbe, and the 

Weser, as well as those near the boundaries, had extended 

29 



30 The Sea Beggars. 

a most hearty welcome to those unfortunate fugitives from 
royal absolutism, intolerance, and fanaticism. 

In the spring of 1566, just after the petition of the con- 
federated nobles, the report circulated that the Spanish 
authorities intended to follow a more moderate and con- 
ciliatory policy toward the Netherland subjects of the king- 
This report induced many to return to their native land. 
But the renewal of the oppressive measures in the fall of the 
same year again forced other thousands to seek safety in 
flight. The stream of Netherland exiles during the earlier 
years of Alba's bloody reign constantly increased, until the 
fortunate events of 1572 again opened to them the gates of 
their own country. 

Then, perhaps, the larger portion of the exiles could re- 
turn to stay. 

But the dread of Alba and his terrible Council of Blood 
had been so great, that — to cite but a single instance — in the 
winter of 1570 — three years after his arrival in the country 
— three hundred and fifty men and women, besides children 
left the moderately large city of Enkhuizen, in the province 
of North Holland, and, over the frozen waters of the sea, at 
the peril of their lives, sought safety within the hospitable 
walls of Emden, several miles distant. 

Besides those that had thus found safety from their alien 
executioners among strangers in foreign lands, many hun- 
dreds had taken to the sea. A large part of the Netherland 
refugees came from the seaboard cities. Thousands had 
; been connected with the sea or a sea-faring life, either as 
[ship-owners, merchants, captains, common sailors, fisher- 
imen, or skippers upon the inland waters. Hundreds of 
these were not satisfied to settle peaceably in more hospitable 
lands, and await there the course of events in their oppressed 
fatherland. Many, in reality, had suffered too much to 



Their Origin and First Appearance. 31 

settle quietly down in life. They wanted the excitement and 
engrossment of action ; they wanted to avenge themselves 
upon the oppressors of their country, the destroyers of their 
peace and happiness. Some, in imitation of many lawless 
examples of those days, had already become sea-rovers. 
Others had banded themselves after the futile attempts of 
the Nassau brothers, in 1568, to liberate the country. 
Others again were the miserable remnants of the Savage, 
or Forest, Beggars of Southern Netherland, who had escaped 
the sword, the fagot, and the gallows, — the fate of most of 
their companions. Nearly all were desperate, remorseless, 
cruel, unscrupulous at times, but not so much from choice 
as from necessity. 

An alien oppressor had devastated their country, destroyed 
their homes, despoiled them of their livelihood, and forced 
them to a life of lawlessness. Hardly a single one was left 
among them that did not mourn the loss of one or of both 
parents, wife, child, or other near relative, or dear friends 
murdered or cruelly maltreated and mutilated by the willing 
tools of royal despotism. Many among them carried upon 
their own bodies the marks of the displeasure of the foreign 
king's satellites. Some had become disfigured for life by 
the loss of an eye, of a nose and ears, an arm or leg, of toes 
or fingers, for daring to hold and express opinions not ap- 
proved by the representatives of an absolutist king. 

All were men without a country, outlawed by the blind 
instruments of a foreign potentate, who had endeavored by 
all possible means to make his royal will law in a country of 
constitutional liberties. Revenge was their motive, pri- 
vateering their object ; while necessity often drove them to 
piracy. They ended their career by becoming the co-found- 
ers of one of the most illustrious republics of modern 
times. In history they are known as the Sea Beggars, that 



32 The Sea Beggars. 

unique aggregation of freebooters and avengers whose like 
never before nor since has been viewed upon the scene of 
the world's events. 

" Since the noble blood of the Counts of Egmont and 
Hoorn has flowed on the scaffold, all the victims of the 
Duke of Alba's tyranny " — thus say the Beggars — " demand 
terrible obsequies. The ghosts of the gallant D'Andelot, of 
the unfortunate Van Straelen, of the heroic sons of Baten- 
burg, of the thousands of other judicial murders, of those 
assassinated in cold blood at Valenciennes, all call for blood 1 
Therefore war ! A war of extermination, a war without 
mercy. The revolt takes up the glove that has been 
thrown at it ! " 

They did not receive the appellation of Sea Beggars, how- 
ever, until more than two years after their first recorded 
appearance on the sea. The Spanish authorities continued 
to style them pirates, while among the Netherland people of 
the day they were known as Geuzen, or Beggars, a name 
applied to all Netherlanders opposed to Spanish tyranny, 
whether fighting on land or at sea, or sojourning in foreign 
countries. Only after those sea-faring Beggars had been 
somewhat better organized did it become absolutely neces- 
sary to distinguish them from those partisans of liberty re- 
maining on land or fighting their country's battles in the 
field. Accordingly the designation Water Geuzen^ Zee 
Geuzen^ or Sea Beggars was generally applied to them. 

When Count Hendrik Van Brederode, the head of the 
famous " Compromis ", or Covenant of the Nobles, on June 
2nd, 1566, closed his letter to Count Louis of Nassau, with a 
X " Vyve les Geus par mer et par terre " — Long life to 
' the Beggars on sea and on land — he probably was 
somewhat ahead of the times. And though the future 
admiral of the Sea Beggars, Dolhain, was even then known 



Their Origin and First Appearance. 33 

as an ardent patriot and a defender of the cause of his 
country against Spanish absolutism, and took a prominent 
part in the meetings of the nobles held that year at Breda 
and Hoogstraten, still it is doubtful whether any fugitive 
Netherlander had yet thought of the sea as a distinct means 
of avenging his country's wrongs. 

Haeck's and Dingmans' crews, no longer safe in the 
country after their vain attempt against Middelburg and the 
Island of Walcheren in the early part of 1567, may have 
become sea-rovers, but, if so, history keeps silent about it. 
Besides, this attempt did not occur until more than six 
months after Brederode's exclamation. 

It is more probable that the Sea Beggars originated among 
the Frisians, who, burning with the desire to shake off the 
Spanish yoke, were kept in the closest submission by the 
able and energetic Caspar De Robles, the Portuguese com- 
mander of the Spanish forces in the provinces of Friesland 
and Groningen. Large numbers of Frisians, among them 
many nobles, had left the province, some going to Emden, 
others joining Brederode at Amsterdam. After Brederode 
and his followers had been forced to leave Amsterdam in 
August, 1567, several of them — Beima, Galama, and 
many others — had been captured, imprisoned, or executed. 
Many Frisians, despairing of the future of their country, and 
no longer finding safety there, took to the sea, practically 
beginning a life of piracy. 

Their rendezvous was made at Emden, where most of the 
chiefs of the freebooters took up their headquarters at the 
inn, " The Golden Fountain," hence, afterward called " The 
Beggars' Inn."' Before long the Beggars became so re- 
doubtable that the government took the precaution to have 
swivel guns placed upon several towers, and upon the South 
gate at Briel, in the province of South Holland. The 
3 



34 The Sea Beggars. 

authorities even were obliged, at the same time, to equip a 
few warships to protect the fishermen, and prevent an 
invasion by the pirates. Thus early in their career do the 
exiles appear to have conceived the idea of freeing their 
country by assaults from the sea. Perhaps the recent 
arrival of the dreaded Alba had something to do with this 
rumored invasion by th^ pirates. 

Soon after their first recorded appearance upon the sea, 
the Netherland freebooters became bolder, and began to 
extend their operations somewhat farther than the coasts of 
Friesland and Holland. On February 9th, 1568, the States 
of Holland, in their salutation to Alba, pointed out to him 
the danger of an increase of piracy on the North Sea, 
" because large numbers of people, many of whom had made 
a living by navigation, had now been disturbed." As early 
as June, 1568, the Netherland freebooters appeared in the 
English Channel in quest of booty, and the Acts of the 
Privy Council refer to them as " Flemish " freebooters, a 
name in those days that generally included in England all 
Netherlanders. 

Instead of the traditional black flag of the pirates, how- 
ever, the early Sea Beggars flew a white flag with a red cross 
in the center, indicative of the unmerited distress that had 
forced them to their present mode of living. Under this 
ensign, in May of this same year, 1568, Jan Abels and Jan 
Broeck, two of the boldest and most dreaded Sea Beggars, 
with two well-manned and adequately equipped vessels, 
rendered the Wadden — to the north of Friesland and Gro- 
ningen — unsafe for any ships friendly to Spain. 

Jan Abels, a native of the little Frisian city of Dockum, 
had the well-earned reputation of being a bold and an able 
sailor. On this account he had, on April 5th, 1558, been ap- 
pointed by the Burgomasters and the Councilors of the city of 



Their Origin and First Appearance. 35 

Groningen " as captain and chief, with his soldiers and 
crew, to pursue and destroy our enemies " — the pirates. 
His brother, Tamme Abels, also known as a prominent Sea 
Beggar, had, on April 28th, 1557, also been commis- 
sioned by the same authorities to protect their commerce 
with Bremen and Hamburg against the depredations of the 
pirates. A third of the Abels brothers, Foeke, had also 
embraced the cause of his country's freedom, and had early 
joined the ranks of the Sea Beggars. 

It appears that the Duke of Alba, soon after their appear- 
ance, began to fear the damage that the Frisian Sea Beg- 
gars might inflict upon the commerce of his king's faithful 
subjects. In April, 1568, he commanded the authorities of 
the city of Medenblik, in the province of North Holland, to 
guard against an attack from the side of Friesland. A 
month later, on May 6th, after Count Louis of Nassau's in- 
vasion of Groningen and his occupation of the castle of 
Wedde, Count Bossu, the Spanish stadholder of Holland, 
renewed the command. At the same time, he informed the 
villages of the district of Waterland of the danger of a possi- 
ble invasion from the direction of Emden, saying : " We 
have learned that those congregating about Emden and 
Wedde are equipping and arming some vessels, and [warn 
you] to be prepared, so that they shall not be able to invade 
any of his Majesty's towns." 

In the spring of 1568, the first great effort was to be made 
by the Nassaus for the liberation of the country. For this 
purpose Count Louis of Nassau, on April 6th of this year, was 
commissioned by his brother, William the Silent, the leader 
of the revolt in the Netherlands, to levy troops and equip an 
army. With it the intrepid Louis was to invade the country 
from the north, while his brother William and other leaders 
would later do the same in the south, and in the center. 



36 The Sea Beggars. 

William the Silent, as well as his four brothers, John, Louis, 
Henry, and Adolph, had sold or pawned everything they 
possessed for the sake of raising money. Secret friends of 
the cause in the Netherlands, as well as the exiles in Ger- 
many and in England, had contributed liberally ; accord- 
ingly, much was expected from the equipment that now 
could take place. Louis went to East Friesland ; the county 
being not only contiguous to the part he intended to invade, 
but its rulers and people were favorable to the cause of 
Netherland liberty, and where the large number of Nether 
land exiles assured him of the most hearty support. 

Nor did the Netherland exiles in England shirk their duty 
in this matter. As soon as it became known, through the 
agents sent by the prince to collect money for the cause, 
what their leaders intended to do, large contributions were 
cheerfully made. In the spring of 1568, a number of vessels 
were equipped by the friends of the cause, principally in the 
harbor of Sandwich, to assist in the attempt, and were 
manned by fifteen hundred Netherland exiles and English 
auxiliaries. In anticipation of coming events, several of 
these vessels immediately left the English harbors, and 
began to plunder on the coasts of Flanders. The Spanish 
ambassador, however, promptly protested against this viola- 
tion of English neutrality, and in May, 1568, the government 
of Queen Elizabeth issued a proclamation prohibiting the 
intended expedition from English ports. This proclamation, 
however, had little result, because most of the expedition had 
fortunately departed ; later several vessels were able secretly 
to join their associates. Count Louis' defeat at Jemgum, 
and the failure of the other intended invasions, rendered this 
equipment useless, though several ships and portions of their 
crews doubtlessly joined the fleet of the Sea Beggars. 

On the eve of the above-named invasion, Count Louis, 



Their Origin and First Appearance. 37 

with a number of his followers, had gone to the East Frisian 
city of Leer, where he received, from his sympathizers at , 
Emden, six red and white flags, with a red cross upon each, j m^yo 
to serve as standards for the army he was about to lead 6 

against the enemy. On these banners he had inscribed the 
bold Latin devices : Ntmc aut Niinquam — now or never ; — 
and, Recuperare aut Mori — regain or die. Large numbers - 
of exiles now joined Louis' army, among them several 
Frisian and Groninger nobles, as Bartold Entens Van Men- 
theda, Homme Van Hettinga, with his two sons, Duco and 
Taco, Sjuck Van Eminga, Pibo Van Harda, Tjalling Van ^ 
Eysinga, Hessel Van Oosthem, Jelte Eelsma, Gabbe Selsma, 
Wilco Holdinga, Erasmus Douma, Hero Hottinga, Douwe — 
Glins, Wybe Sjoerds, and Jan Van Bonga, who paid most of 
the Frisians serving in Louis' army. The Frisian lawyer, 
Johannes Basius, later one of the most trusted and useful 
agents of William the Silent, also joined the forces ; and 
several others ; many of them later were enrolled in the 
ranks of the Sea Beggars. 

On April 24th, 1568, Count Louis took possession of the 
castle of Wedde, in the province of Groningen. The report 
of this success of the patriot forces w^as followed up by the 
rumor that the redoubtable Sea Beggars were about to invade 
the province of Friesland by way of the Dockumer Deep. 
Alba was immediately informed of this threatened danger, 
while the Spanish stadholder of Friesland at once despatched 
a force of two hundred soldiers to Colmerzyl, at the entrance 
of the deep, there stationing them behind the dykes and in the 
redoubt, for the purpose of preventing the expected landing 
of the Sea Beggars. The latter, however, failed to put in an 
appearance. They were too busy assisting Count Louis and 
his army of liberation. Jan Abels, for instance, was — with 
two or three vessels, each manned with forty sailors — con- 



38 The Sea Beggars. 

stantly cruising before Delfzyl, in order to prevent provisions 
from reaching the city of Groningen ; this important strong- 
hold Count Louis intended to wrest from the clutches of the 
Spaniards. At the same time, Abels was to prevent the 
Spanish ships from cutting off supplies for Louis' army. 
For this purpose some large Beggar ships had been stationed 
near the mouth of the river Ems. 

Fran9ois Van Boshuizen, a Netherlander who had remained 
loyal to the cause of Spain, and who had been appointed 
commander of the Duke of Alba's navy, had, in the month 
of May, arrived with eight Spanish warships before the 
mouth of the Ems, with the intention of harassing the patriot 
forces. Boshuizen had even succeeded in preventing sup- 
plies and ammunition from reaching Count Louis' army by 
"way of the sea, so that, at times, there existed actual scarcity 
among his forces. Thereupon, on July ist, 1568, the count 
commissioned Yonker Diedrick Sonoy, a German noble- 
man and ardent partisan of the cause of William the Silent, 
and Hendrick Thomasz, to attack the enemy's ships, promis- 
ing them all the booty they should capture if they would 
only deliver to Count Louis the heavy ordnance, of which 
he was greatly in need. 

After gathering together as many Beggar ships as they 
could unite for the purpose, Sonoy and his associates, on 
July 17th, 1568, went to meet the enemy. Boshuizen, per- 
ceiving their approach, did not await their arrival, but 
hoisted sail, for the purpose of meeting them, expecting to be 
able easily to rout or sink the small Beggar ships by means 
of his heavy ordnance. The Sea Beggars, however, nothing 
daunted, continued to approach, with the apparent intention 
of boarding the enemy's vessels. As soon as Boshuizen 
perceived their object, he turned about and sought safety, or 
perhaps a more favorable battle-ground, by a precipitate 



Their Origin and First Appearance. 39 

retreat into the open sea. At first he was closely pursued by 
the Beggars ; the elements, however, bore heavily against 
their smaller vessels, and soon prevented the pursuers from 
following up their advantage. They were obliged to cast 
anchor under lee of the land, and here they awaited the dawn 
of the following morning. Even then wind and waves were 
unfavorable, the larger part of the fleet refused to proceed. 
Only Sonoy and Gerrit Sebastiaansz Van Gorkum weighed 
anchor and, followed a little later by a few of the others, went 
in pursuit of the enemy. Their expedition resulted in their 
capturing four large Spanish ships and two " hulken," with 
which they returned and anchored in full view of Delfzyl, as 
if to taunt the enemy with the spoils of their victory over 
his armada. 

Louis of Nassau, in the meanwhile, had broken up the 
siege of the city of Groningen, which he had invested after 
his victory at Heiligerlee, on May 23rd, 1568. After having 
taken up several positions, he intrenched himself at last at 
Jemgum on the river Ems. Here Louis awaited the arrival 
of the Duke of Alba, who immediately after receiving infor- 
mation of the defeat of his forces at Heiligerlee, had hastened 
from Brussels to avenge the disgrace of the Spanish arms. 

At Jemgum the freebooters again rendered the most val- 
uable services to the cause of Netherland liberty. Their 
larger vessels could not approach close enough to the banks 
of the river where Louis' army was encamped. Those large 
ships had been left at Emden, whose drost, or warden, Unico 
Manninga, had sent the Netherland nobleman, Willem Van 
Zuylen, to Sonoy with the offer to take care of and protect 
the Beggar ships at Emden while the Beggars should be 
engaged with the enemy on the river. The drost evidently 
expected the patriots again to be victorious. After the bat- 
tle had been lost, fear of the triumphant Spanish army influ- 



40 The Sea Beggars. 

enced the drost to such a degree that he even arrested Sonoy 
and several of his captains, threatening them with imprison- 
ment for having violated East Friesland's neutrality. When 
the drost perceived that the Spaniards did not entertain any 
direct design against Emden he immediately discharged the 
Beggar chiefs. But their booty and prizes, as well as the 
ransom paid to them by several captains of merchantmen, 
were confiscated, with the excuse that the Beggar ships had 
caused damage to the buoys, and losses to the caretaker of 
the buoys and beacons of Rottemerland, an island-depend- 
ency of East Friesland. 

Only the lighter vessels, under the command of Jan 
Broeck and EUert Vliechop, could be made use of to keep 
open the communication between the two banks of the Ems, 
conveying provisions and other necessaries for the army. 
Jan Broeck had been appointed commissary of provisions 
(quartermaster) by Louis, and in this capacity was des- 
patched to Emden, for the purpose of inquiring whether it 
would not be better to have the flour sent directly to the 
encampment, instead of having it baked into biscuits at 
Emden. 

The disastrous defeat at Jemgum, on July 21st, 1568, of 
Louis' mutinous troops, which, for the larger part, consisted 
of foreign mercenaries, put a stop to any further efforts to 
free the northern provinces from the land side. Several 
thousands of Louis' insubordinate soldiers found a quick 
death by the steel or the bullets of the Spaniards or in the 
waters of the Ems. Many more would have lost their lives 
had not the crews in the Beggar boats been at hand to pick 
up the fugitives, and, at the imminent risk of their own lives, 
convey them safely to the opposite bank. Count Louis him- 
self escaped with his life only through the timely assistance 
of the boats of his Beggar friends. 



Their Origin and First Appearance. 41 

After this terrible disaster at Jemgum the forces of the 
Sea Beggars were very much strengthened by the Frisian 
and Groninger partisans of liberty that had been fortunate 
enough to escape. Their numbers were further increased 
by other prominent Netherlanders, who, for some reason or 
other, felt that they were no longer safe in the country, and 
therefore decided to cast in their lot with the Beggars. From 
this time on the guerilla-war at sea assumed a more settled 
and determined character. And in the fall of 1568, after 
the futile efforts of Prince William the Silent himself to dis- 
lodge Alba from the south, the friends of liberty in the 
provinces, as well as those abroad, began to despair of de- 
liverance coming from the direction of the land. They 
now began to center their hopes upon the outlawed sea- 
rovers, infesting the coasts and waters of their oppressed 
country. 

The last unsuccessful effort at liberation of this year 1568, 
not only sent many commoners to the fleet of the Beggars, 
but also forced a large number of Netherland nobles to join 
the ranks of those freebooters. Many among them, after 
having sacrificed their all for their country's cause, had 
served as officers in the armies of both Louis and William. 
With the failures of those armies their occupations, as well 
as their fortunes, were gone. 

Some of these ruined nobles entered the military or 
the diplomatic service of foreign powers ; the larger part, 
however, bought, or were provided with, vessels, and united 
with the Sea Beggars. This explains why so large a propor- 
tion of Beggar ships was commanded and officered by nobles 
that had had no previous experience of the sea. Other nobles 
had joined the fleet in subordinate positions, and, as reward 
for their courage and ability, had been gradually promoted 
by their captains. Later they had been intrusted with the 



42 The Sea Beggars. 

command of prizes that were deemed too serviceable to the 
fleet to be disposed of in the usual way. 

Alba, however, no more dreaded the Sea Beggars or their 
influence on the people than he feared the noiseless activity, 
directed by William the Silent, from the distant castle of Dil- 
lenburg, in the German county of Nassau. Neither a 
statesman nor a philosophic student of human character and 
political affairs. Alba did not, as they would have done, take 
into account every successive revelation of the popular mind. 
He was merely an able and successful general, accustomed to 
be obeyed implicitly by his well-disciplined soldiers, and now 
that his army had gained easy victories over poorly equipped, 
and worse disciplined, hireling soldiers ; now that the people 
had apparently submitted to the inevitable, the haughty 
Spaniard thought not only that he could do with them as he 
pleased, but had the audacity to believe that the time was 
ripe to petition the king for his recall. He had done his 
duty in quelling the rebellion and in preserving the provinces 
to his sovereign, others could now rule them. Consequently, 
on August 22nd, 1568, he wrote to Madrid that " it was not 
possible for him to stay in a country where the climate was 
so unfavorable to his health, or to endure any longer the 
fatigues of government. The state of his health caused him 
much uneasiness ; as to the cold and the dampness, they 
killed him." 

Philip, however, would not consent to Alba's departure ; 
he could not, he thought, afford to dispense with the services 
of the man in a country that had been preserved to the 
Crown by that man's own efforts. 

Notwithstanding the fact that everything was still appar- 
ently quiet in the country, and only the despised Sea Beggars 
continued their locally-injurious but seemingly-unimportant 
activity, the duke at Madrid, on May 5th, 1570, renewed his 



Their Origin and First Appearance. 43 

efforts to be recalled. Perhaps he began to perceive that 
all was not as quiet as it appeared on the surface, or 
he may have desired to quit the country and be away 
before the popular discontent showed itself by a fresh out- 
break, and thus release himself from blame. But the Span- 
ish King did not yet see his way clear to permit the depar- 
ture of the governor-general, who, by the aid of an army of 
thirty thousand Spanish soldiers, had evidently succeeded in 
crushing the spirit of a proud, liberty-loving people, and in 
forcing them to submit to Spanish absolutism. The king 
promised Alba to select a successor, but requested the duke 
to continue in his government, until, in course of time, said 
successor should arrive. Nearly two years afterward, when 
the bold stroke of a small band of outlawed freebooters had 
again fanned the smoldering embers of popular opposition 
into a conflagration, and the whole country had arisen against 
the tyrant, the successor arrived. 

The Beggars, encouraged by the inactivity of the Spanish 
authorities, and the apparent inability of Alba and his offi- 
cials permanently to suppress them, became bolder with 
every easy success. The new Spanish ambassador to the 
court of St. James, Don Gueran De Spes, who, in Septem- 
ber, 1568, arrived in England, soon complained earnestly 
about the damage caused to the ships and commerce of his 
Majesty's faithful Netherlanders by the freebooters, openly 
favored and assisted as they were by the people and the 
authorities of the English Channel ports. 

With the augmenting of their numbers, and emboldened 
by the fear that the mere mention of their name began to 
cause among the people, the Sea Beggars now ventured 
away from the coasts, and began to extend their raids far 
into the interior of the country. In October, 1568, a force 
of Frisian Sea Beggars invaded the district of Waterland in 



44 The Sea Beggars. 

the province of North Holland and there united with a body 
of Waterland patriots, endeavoring to wrest that section of 
the country from the grasp of the Spaniards. The allies, 
however, were defeated by Holland's stadholder, Count 
Bossu, while several of their number were captured and 
executed, and the effort at liberation was thus again smoth- 
ered in the blood of the patriots. It was evident that the 
people waited only for a favorable opportunity to declare 
themselves. The expectancy of future deliverance was kept 
in the hearts of their countrymen by the Beggars of the Sea. 
*' From the dunes and dykes of Holland and Friesland the 
people could see the flags floating from the topmasts of the 
Beggar ships, and the roar of their cannon informed their 
compatriots that liberty was near ; they could expect it at 
any moment." As long as those lawless sea-rovers had not 
been exterminated ; as long as William the Silent had not 
been rendered inactive ; as long as the people were ever ready 
to assist in any promising project at liberation, the Nether- 
landers could not be said to be subjugated. Every cruel or 
tyrannical act of Alba and his satellites served only to hasten 
the day of final settlement, by augmenting the number and 
embittering the spirit of the sea-roving exiles, thereby ren- 
dering them more determined in the resolve to throw off the 
yoke. 

Because of the boldness of operation by the Sea Beggars, 
the seaboard cities in the northern quarter of the province 
of North Holland were ordered to equip war-vessels against 
the freebooters, and to improve their defenses. In conse- 
quence, the city of Hoorn, on October 21st, 1568, was not 
only obliged, at its own expense, to furnish two men of war, — 
one of which, because of her size and strength, was named the 
Samson, — but was also compelled considerably to strengthen 
its defenses on the side of the Zuiderzee. Alba had been 



Their Origin and First Appearance. 45 

informed of the depredations of the Sea Beggars, but 
he was either powerless or was too little inclined to proceed 
against them, for he wrote to the States of the province of 
Friesland to guard their coasts and harbors themselves. A 
few ships, consequently, were equipped at Dockum. But the 
whole armament was so insignificant, that nothing of any 
importance could be undertaken against the freebooters. 
In plain view even of the government vessels they did not 
hesitate to attack and capture merchantmen. All that the 
government ships were able to do, was to guard the coasts of 
Friesland, and abandon the sea to the Beggars. At the 
approach of winter the Beggars temporarily suspended 
operations, sought the friendly waters of the Ems and the 
hospitality of the city of Emden, where they lavishly spent 
the proceeds from their plunder of the preceding summer. 
From February till August, 1569, seven of their vessels con- 
stantly harbored at Great Siel, a small city with a castle on 
the Ems, where their numerous crews royally spent the 
money they had acquired after every successful raid. The 
government vessels were only too glad to be permitted to 
winter in the harbor of Dockum, the ice and the gales of 
the wintry season, for the time being, proving a much better 
protection against the Sea Beggars than their own too 
feeble naval equipments. 

As soon, however, as the ice had melted, and the coast 
was again clear, the Beggars left their friendly shelter at 
Emden, and boldly resumed depredations. Stronger in 
numbers, and more determined than ever in the spring — 1569 
— to avenge the wrongs of their native land, and cause 
damage to its oppressor and his friends, the Sea Beggars no 
longer limited their operations exclusively or principally to 
the coasts and waters of the Netherlands. In a short time 
the whole of the North Sea, the Channel, and parts of the 



46 The Sea Beggars. 

Atlantic Ocean extending to the Gulf of Biscay, became the 
habitual scene of the activity of the Netherland sea-rovers ; 
with the French and English freebooters they continually 
chased the richly-laden merchantmen leaving or destined for 
Spanish ports. 

As early as January, 1569, both the French and the 
Spanish ambassadors complained of the increase of French, 
English, and Flemish pirates in the English Channel, congre- 
gated mostly about the Isle of Wight ; there the people were 
favorable to them, and there they found a ready market for 
most of their booty, as well as a convenient haven for the 
equipment and repairing of their vessels. 

About Christmas of the year 1568, the government of 
Queen Elizabeth had confiscated a large amount of money, 
lent to Philip of Spain by a Genoa banking house. This 
money was destined to pay Alba's troops in the Netherlands ; 
but all the negotiations for the return of the money to its 
rightful owner proved fruitless. Under one pretext or an- 
other the English government constantly evaded the release 
of the treasure. Sometimes Queen Elizabeth's ministers 
replied to the remonstrances of the Spanish ambassador, 
that they intended to guard the money, fearing the pirates, 
who would be watching for it if conveyed by ship. At an- 
other time the ambassador heard that the queen intended to 
keep the money as an indemnity for the Spanish attack on 
Hawkins' richly-loaded privateers, despatched by the govern- 
ment the preceding spring with a mission to the West 
Indies. At last, the English government broke off every 
negotiation regarding the treasure ; they answering that 
they retained the money with the consent of the Genoese 
bankers themselves, as a loan to the English Crown. This 
act of official piracy greatly benefited the Netherland free- 
booters, who Avere almost certain now of the open support 



Their Origin and First Appearance. 47 

in the English waters — of government as well as of peo- 
ple. Even Dolhain — an emissary of William the Silent 
— thought to be a chief of the Sea Beggars — was pub- 
licly and cordially received at the English Court. These 
and other considerations, such as the seizure by Alba of 
English ships and merchandise in the Netherlands, and 
the counterseizures in England, seemed certain to lead to 
open warfare between Spain and England. 

The Spanish ambassador, however, apprised his govern- 
ment of the fact that the English navy consisted of twenty- 
two royal ships, and seventy well-equipped, strongly-manned 
pirate vessels, while Spain, at the time, hardly possessed any 
serviceable navy. Alba, moreover, was not eager for a war 
with England, owing to the situation in the Netherlands, 
and the almost certain support to the Netherland rebels by 
France, in case of an Anglo-Spanish war. Elizabeth, on the 
other hand, on account of domestic difficulties and her 
designs upon Scotland, was not desirous of war ; and thus the 
clouds blew over, although commercial intercourse between 
England and the Netherlands was practically suspended for 
more than three years. In April, 1569, Elizabeth's govern- 
ment issued for the second time a decree against the free- 
booters, containing the most severe provisions against har- 
boring them, and purchasing their spoils. But these decrees 
appeared more formidable upon paper than in reality. For 
when, in the month of May, a heavy gale had obliged Jan 
Abels to seek shelter in an English port upon the Lincoln- 
shire coast, he was not detained after having shown letters 
of marque, issued to him by Count Louis, and after having 
proved to the satisfaction of the authorities that he had 
never molested any English craft. 

The Frisian Beggars, in the meantime, had not remained 
idle. The redoubtable Jan Abels, who had received many 



48- The Sea Beggars. 

additions to his forces, ventured as far inland as the city of 
Groningen, and in March, 1569, plundered five vessels in 
the immediate neighborhood. On May 21st Alba received 
information of this act, through his spy in East Friesland ; 
he advised the duke to chase Abels as far as the city of 
Emden. Abels having sent part of the booty to Emden, his 
wife and brother disposed of it there, while another part was 
sold by his son at Norden. 

These and other depredations again induced the Court of 
Friesland to devise means to prevent " piracy on the waters 
of Friesland." Three small vessels, manned by fifty sailors, 
was all the government of the province could afford to equip. 
On April 19th, 1569, they were put into commission, and 
intrusted to the command of Captain Magnus Arendtz. 
The province of Groningen also equipped two ships and 
thirty men, under Captain Pieter Thyes. These five ships 
and eighty men were all that the two impoverished provinces 
were able to oppose to the vessel of Jan Abels and the ten 
well-equipped, well-manned Beggar ships of Jan Bonga and 
Homme Hettinga. The above Jan Bonga, ex-grietman, or 
President of the district of West Dongeradeel, cruising in 
the Friesland waters with five ships, had carried off, on June 
13th, 1569, a number of prominent Netherlanders, and cap- 
tured several Netherland ships, all of which were taken to 
Emden and Norden. 

The Frisian Sea Beggars laughed at the feeble show of 
resistance made by their opponents. They had, moreover, 
hundreds of secret friends in both Groningen and Fries- 
land, who kept them informed of every move of the enemy, 
the freebooters thus always appearing where their presence 
was least expected. It is to be kept in mind, in this con- 
nection, that the Sea Beggars seldom accepted battle when 






Their Origin and First Appearance. 49 

they could avoid it, except for the sake of gaining booty. 
They were freebooters or privateers ; not soldiers. 

Finally it became so dangerous for vessels to venture out 
that, on March 31st, 1569, Alba issued a decree, in which he 
stated that, as long as the authorities had not succeeded in 
annihilating the pirates, no one — of whatsoever rank, state, or 
condition in life — would be permitted to undertake a sea 
voyage without being well supplied with men, cannon, and 
ammunition for the purpose of resisting the pirates. 

Notwithstanding the edicts against the pirates, issued by 
Queen Elizabeth's government, the English people, deriving 
large profits from their connections with them, continued to 
favor the Dutch privateers whenever they were able to do 
so. Even the English officials covertly assisted the outlaws, 
while the central government at London was not very rigid 
to enforce its own decrees against them. About the time 
the edict of April, 1569, was promulgated, the Lord of 
Dolhain was not only again in England collecting money 
among the Netherland exiles there, — for the prince's under- 
takings, — but was even endeavoring, in his capacity as the 
prince's commissary, better to organize and discipline the 
lawless Sea Beggars, and thus make use of them in some 
systematic attempt to free their country. 

With the moneys received from the exiles, Dolhain con- 
tinually bought ships and ammunition, enlisted sailors and 
soldiers, and even collected them, — to the number of fourteen 
hundred, — at the mouth of the Thames. That these equip- 
ments were not, and could not be, made in secret, is plain 
from the fact that Lord Cobham, warden of Dover Castle, 
was specially commissioned by his government to keep an 
eye on them, and to inform the central authorities of all the 
movements of Dolhain and his partisans. In the summer of 
1569 the prince's commissary had a well-equipped squadron 
4 



5o The Sea Beggars. 

ready, consisting of four large and three small vessels. 
The presence of several Huguenot chiefs led to the surmise 
that an expedition to Rochelle was intended, where the 
prince and his brother — Count Louis of Nassau — arrived 
at the same time. Others thought that the expedition was 
destined to assist the English government in an attack upon 
Amsterdam or upon some other Dutch maritime city, for the 
purpose of forcing the Duke of Alba to accede to the 
demands of Queen Elizabeth and her Council. This ap- 
peared the more probable, as government vessels, in the 
English harbors, were equipping either for La Rochelle or 
against some Dutch port. 

The ambassadors of France and Spain evidently feared 
that Dolhain might entertain projects against the security of 
their respective countries, and their energetic protests, in 
the month of August, 1569, led to the confiscation of Dol- 
hain's ships. At the same time, Lord Cobham was sharply 
and publicly censured for covertly permitting the enlistment, 
in English harbors, of sailors and soldiers, destined to be 
used against friendly Powers ! The forces had disbanded, 
but Dolhain protested that he had honestly bought and paid 
for the vessels, and therefore he demanded their release. 
The vessels were promptly returned to him. 

Soon afterward, reports were circulated that Dolhain and 
several other Netherland freebooters, congregating in the 
southeastern harbors of England, intended to go to sea, 
and, in conjunction with Lancelot Van Brederode, who com- 
manded two powerful Beggar ships, intended some mis- 
chief. For this purpose Brederode had left the coasts of 
Friesland, which, for a long time, he — issuing from the shal- 
lows of the Island of Borkum, at the mouth of the Ems — had 
rendered unsafe to any vessel friendly to the cause of 
Spain. Many thought that the projected expedition was in- 



Their Origin and First Appearance. 51 

tended against Hamburg, to punish that city for the execu- 
tion there of Jan Broeck and a number of his crew, who had 
been accused of plundering some Hamburg merchantmen. 
Relative to this, Alba, on July 30th, 1569, had even written 
to the municipal authorities at Hamburg not to show any 
compassion to Broeck, but to execute him, as an example 
and also advised the authorities not to extend any further 
hospitality to the Netherland rebels. The Spanish governor- 
general also wrote to Bremen, warning against the Sea Beg- 
gars, but neither the people of Hamburg nor those of Bremen 
were inclined to follow the Spaniard's advice as to the treat- 
ment of their Netherland kinsmen, although the Beggars 
had caused damage to their commerce. 

Spes, the Spanish ambassador at London, evidently 
thought that the proposed expedition would not be directed 
against Hamburg, and again lodged protests with the 
English government against permitting the ships to depart. 
The result of this complaint was, that the ships, or at least 
their sails and rigging, were again seized. Dolhain again 
energetically protested, and early in September, 1569, he was 
permitted by the Privy Council to depart with all his ships, 
this time as admiral of the entire Beggar Fleet. 

When Count Louis of Nassau — a few weeks prior to his 
defeat at Jemgum — in the name and by the authority of the 
prince had, on July ist, 1568, commissioned Diederick 
Sonoy and Hendrick Thomasz to " seize violently and to 
make war against the enemies of the prince, their ships and 
goods " those commissions had the force of letters of 
marque, and removed the stigma of piracy from the action 
of the Netherland freebooters against the Spaniards and 
their allies. Similar commissions were subsequently issued 
to Jan Abels, Homme Hettinga, and other captains of the 
Sea Beggars. 



52 The Sea Beggars. 

With those that acknowledged the prince as an independ- 
ent sovereign, these commissions conferred upon the Sea 
Beggars the status of privateers, and as such they were to be 
considered and treated among neutral nations. But there 
was neither unity of action nor of purpose among them. 
They were not an organized body. Every captain of a 
vessel acted as he deemed best. They acknowledged no 
one's authority, not even that of the prince or his commis- 
sioners if the orders did not suit their convenience. Joan 
Basius, or Baes, a Frisian jurist — WiUiam the Silent's trusted 
agent among the exiles in Germany, and the secret adherents 
of the cause in the Netherlands — had been sent to the exiled 
Netherlanders, " who had found shelter at Emden and 
Wesel." Large numbers of them were Sea Beggars, and 
it was for the purpose of inducing them to cooperate with 
William in his efforts to liberate their country' that Baes was 
sent among them. All were quite willing to do so, but there 
existed no military or other organization to which they could 
address themselves, and upon whose initiative any successful 
effort was to be expected. The fear of Alba's spies ren- 
dered it impossible to organize any resistance in the country 
itself ; the exiles were too widely scattered, and William's 
military operations had all been frustrated ; while lack of 
the necessary funds rendered any other attempt for the pres- 
ent impossible. 

William, therefore, thought of organizing the Netherland 
privateers, who now plundered at random, and who went 
wherever they listed without acknowledging any one's 
authority, often indeed more of a hindrance than a help to 
the cause they professed to serve. As a means to this end 
the prince, in August, 1569, appointed Adriaan Van Bergen, 
Lord of Dolhain, more generally known as Dolhain, admiral 
and commander-in-chief of all the Netherland privateers, 



Their Origin and First Appearance. 53 

giving them strict orders to acknowledge Dolhain's au- 
thority. 

But as long as there was no Netherland port to receive 
them, at which William could enforce his orders, and as long 
as the freebooters were obliged to live on plunder, and even 
expected to pay over a share of their booty to the prince or 
his commissaries, it was impossible to enforce even a sem- 
blance of discipline among them. Even if Dolhain had 
been the man fit to command a body of men as impatient of 
restraint and as lawless as the Sea Beggars, the very fact of 
their having been so long independent of authority rendered 
it well-nigh impossible to accustom them to the rigid dis- 
cipline of a naval organization ; even had there been the 
means to force them to it. Not only among the common 
sailors were there many foreigners, but a number of officers 
and captains sailing under the prince's colors were not 
Netherlanders, and these were ever ready to refuse or to revolt 
as soon as the prince or his lieutenants demanded obedience 
to orders that did not suit their pleasure. 

It appears that some of the better element among the 
privateers were fully aware of this great defect in their 
organization. On August 15th, 1569, about the time of 
Dolhain's appointment as admiral, six captains of the Beg- 
gars — Albrecht Van Egmond, Lancelot Van Brederode, 
Crispinus Van Salbrugge, Barthold Entens Van Mentheda, 
Jelte Van Eelsma, and Meinert Friese — entered into an agree- 
ment before J. Coornhert, " imperial notary," in which they 
promised one another jointly to work for the liberation of 
their country from the alien yoke. The contract begins as 
follows : " Whereas, during the past years, the greater part 
of the nobility of Friesland as well as of Holland and this 
country, have been driven away from their fatherland, leav- 
ing behind goods, wives, and children [therefore the sub- 



54 The Sea Beggars. 

scribers agree] to assist one another with all their posses- 
sions, bodies, and lives, only for the purpose of damaging, 
destroying, and annihilating the Duke of Alba and his blood- 
thirsty adherents." It was further stipulated " that none of 
us shall, on his own account, either conceive and plan or 
begin any attack without the knowledge of all, and without 
the consent of our common council and assembly." They 
further decided that one half of the booty and of the prizes 
should go to the prince, the second half to remain for the 
captains and the crews. 

This contract may be adjudged as the first conscious and 
well-defined expression of the purpose of the seafaring 
exiles. From this time on there developed among them 
that spirit of solidarity and cooperation that often manifested 
itself in concerted efforts to gain advantages over the enemy, 
and that culminated in the liberation of their oppressed 
country from the clutches of the alien usurper. Hence, 
thereafter, the Netherland privateers were more generally 
known and mentioned among the people as Water Geuzetty 
Zee Geuzen^ or Sea Beggars, the name having been pre- 
served through the ages, and being still revered by most 
Netherlanders as characterizing the men that were instru- 
mental in bringing about the independence of their country. 



Chapter Two. 
The Sea Beggars as an Organization. 

AFTER Dolhain had been permitted to leave England 
in September, 1569, besides being admiral of the 
entire fleet of Sea Beggars, he had also a private 
command of four ships, — " De Post," " Het Vlie- 
gende Hert," •'* De Geelvink," " De Engel,"— Hembyse, 
Utenhove, Schoonewal, and his brother Louis Van Bergen 
being the captains of those ships. A smaller vessel, the 
yacht " Nachtegaal," served as despatch-boat. The col- 
lective crews of this squadron somewhat exceeded a hun- 
dred sailors. Few among them, however, were Nether- 
landers. They belonged to the scum of all nations, and 
would not have scrupled to have sold their commander and 
his officers to the Duke of Alba. On this account they had 
to be held in check by sixty soldiers, or marines, whom Dol- 
hain would be unable to pay till he should be fortunate 
enough to capture a few prizes. With this purpose, the 
ships, on September 9th, 1569, left the mouth of the Thames, 
expecting soon to fall in with some merchantmen friendly to 
the enemy. 

But even in those days, and during this expedition, the 
more thoughtful among the leaders of the Sea Beggars began 
to speak about surprising some Netherland seaboard city, like 
Enkhuizen, Briel, or Vlissingen, in order to make of it a 
second La Rochelle, and open to the Dutch freebooters a 
friendly port in their own country, and from there penetrate 
farther into the interior. 

55 



56 The Sea Beggars. 

After having safely crossed the North Sea, a terrible gale, 
lasting two or three days — about the middle of September — • 
forced the Sea Beggars to seek safety in the Vlie, a North 
Sea inlet into the Zuiderzee. Fortunately, however, for the 
straitened freebooters, two fleets, consisting of a hundred 
merchantmen, recently arrived from the Baltic, had also been 
forced to seek shelter there. The first fleet, consisting of 
sixty ships, fell almost immediately into their hands. A 
little later the other, consisting of forty richly-laden vessels, 
also was captured. A few of the ships were added to the 
fleet of the Sea Beggars, while others, after having been 
lightened of some or much of their cargo, were made to pay 
a heavy ransom, then permitted to proceed to their destina- 
tion. In some of its aspects this transaction strongly 
savored of actual piracy, as several of the ships were fur- 
nished with safe conducts granted to them by Count Louis, 
and belonged to other than Spanish subjects, though des- 
tined for Spanish ports. 

As soon as Count Bossu, the royal stadholder of Holland, 
learned of the unwelcome presence of the Sea Beggars in 
the Zuiderzee, he immediately stationed garrisons in the 
cities most likely to be attacked by them, and thus prevented 
any attempt in that direction. A strong fleet under the 
command of Boshuizen, equipped by Amsterdam and other 
North Holland cities along the Zuiderzee, as well as the ap- 
proach of winter, speedily induced Dolhain and his captains 
to quit this neighborhood. They now made for the friendly 
\ harbors of East Friesland, Emden, Norden, etc., and there 
passed the winter and early spring. Some of their captains 
went to England, and sold much of their booty, which, 
again, gave rise to sharp remonstrances on the part of the 
Spanish ambassador. 

Concerning the above capture of the two merchant-fleets in 



The Sea Beggars as an Organization. 57 

the Vlie, and the subsequent measures against the Sea Beg- 
gars, Dr. VeUus, who was almost a contemporary-, gives the 
following description in his chronicles of the city of Hoorn : 
" On account of a certain gale which lasted two or three 
days, he [Dolhain] entered the Vlie, where two days later 
the Baltic fleet also arrived, being sixty ships strong. Not 
knowing of anything, it was immediately attached as a likely 
prize, and subjected to ransom. Four or five days later an- 
other fleet entering, consisting of forty ships, it also was 
captured, like the first. And whereas they were now strong, 
and they had been keeping themselves in the Vlie for several 
days, it began to be feared that some day they might under- 
take a '' shore walk " (land gang) in this north land ; in an- 
ticipation of which about four hundred Spaniards were im- 
mediately sent hither ; and on September 24th, late in the 
evening, they arrived before Hoorn, and were admitted at 
eleven o'clock at night ; not without great trepidation on the 
part of the burghers, who, during the one night the Spaniards 
lodged there, became sufficiently well aware what polite and 
grateful guests they are. Early in the morning they departed 
for Medenblik, there to watch the aforesaid Beggar ships. 
But because the ships, five or six days later, again left the 
Vlie, and sailed with their booty to the Ems, the Spaniards 
also departed, and from there went to Alkmaar. Count 
Bossu, stadholder of North Holland, arrived the following 
day, September 25th, at Hoorn, but remained only one 
night, leaving the following afternoon for Enkhuizen, to 
take measures against the aforesaid freebooters." 

While Dolhain and his fleet had thus been profitably oc- 
cupied in the Vlie, opposite the Frisian coast, the Frisian 
Sea Beggars had been no less active in the waters and on 
the soil of their own province. Near the beginning of the 
summer of 1569 the exiled Frisian nobles, Jan Van Bonga 



58 The Sea Beggars. 

and Homme Van Hettinga, together commanding ten liglit 
Beggar ships, were constantly harassing the northern coasts 
of the provinces of Friesland and Groningen, and about 
July 2oth returned to Emden and Norden, for the purpose of 
there disposing of their booty, and visiting relatives and 
friends. 

More than once a party of Sea Beggars, usually about 
fifty strong, would leave their vessels and take what they 
termed a " shore walk " (land ganck), which meant an un- 
expected visit to some rich partisan of Spain and enemy of 
his country's cause. They never molested any of the com- 
mon people, provided they were not outspoken friends of 
Spain, this fact assuring the marauders the indulgence of 
almost every one not directly favorable to Spanish domination. 

On August 2oth, 1569, the Frisian Sea Beggars paid such 
a visit to the grieteny (district) of Oost Dongeradeel where 
Rintze, a brother of the famous Frisian jurist Viglius Van 
Aytta — both ardent partisans of Spain — was grietman, 
or president. After causing great consternation among the 
loyalists, and gathering much booty, the participants in the 
" shore walk " rejoined their ships, and a little later went to 
Emden, where the spoils, gained during their various expe- 
ditions, were publicly sold by auction. Even the spies of 
Mepsche — a satellite of Alba — bought some of the proceeds 
of the landganck, sold at Emden, in order to use them against 
the Count of East Friesland in Alba's complaints to the 
Emperor, and before the German Diet. 

The fright caused by the nightly attack in his district, and 
the constant fear that he was under, because of the never-ceas- 
ing raids of the Sea Beggars, so influenced grietman Rintze 
Van Aytta's health, that he became ill and, in April, 1570, 
died. His successor, the Spanish partisan, Doede Van 
Syrxma, ex-burgomaster of the city of Leeuwarden, married 



The Sea Beggars as an Organization. 5Q 

Rintze's widow, and, in the following year, 157 1, also was 
honored with a visit from the Sea Beggars. He, however, as 
will be related later, succeeded in frightening them away, but 
only after they had obtained considerable booty. 

The following excerpt from a long letter, written on 
August 26th, 1569, from Emden to the Dutch exiles at Lon- 
don, will convey some idea of the dealings of the Sea Beg- 
gars, and of their treatment of their countrymen that they 
suspected of partiality to Spain. The letter informed the 
London exiles that the writers, " out of heartfelt pity have 
been moved to write you for the purpose of highly recom- 
mending to you an honest skipper of Amsterdam named 
Dierick Allertszoon, alias Black Dierick, who, having arrived 
here at Emden from England, has informed us of his great 
misfortune and misery, viz., that his ship has there, to his 
great loss, been seized, and to the great affliction and sorrow 
of his dear wife and children, of whom he has a large num- 
ber." And in order to have his vessel returned to him 
through the good services of Admiral Dolhain, if it can be 
proved that said skipper is favorable to his country's cause, 
" he has, for the purpose of vindicating himself, introduced 
to us two credible witnesses, named Willgm Bruyn of 
Zwartesluys, and Claes Willemszoon of Der Gouwe, who 
have lived a long time at Amsterdam." The first-named 
witness testified that Black Dierick was everything he pro- 
fessed himself to be, while the second declared that he him- 
self, at the request of said Dierick, had, with great danger to 
his own person, succeeded in getting Dierick's ship out of 
Amsterdam, because the skipper, in regard to his sentiments, 
was suspected by the Spanish authorities of Amsterdam and 
by the boom-shutter. " Therefore he did not dare to risk 
his person on the ship for the purpose of publicly leaving 
the limits of Amsterdam." Both witnesses further declared 



6o The Sea Beggars. 

that after his departure from Amsterdam said skipper had 
always properly conducted himself, and the writers of the 
letter proceeded : " Whereas, we have had such informa- 
tion concerning the said Dierick from the mouth of the wit- 
nesses, and from other honest merchants of Amsterdam who 
have taken refuge here, therefore, upon kind request, we 
have not deemed it inadvisable to inform the brethren of the 
same, hoping that it will assist not a little in relieving his 
sad case. Therefore, dear brethren, we pray you for Christ's 
sake that, considering the great loss of the aforesaid Dierick, 
and the sorrow of his afflicted wife and children, you will, 
after the nature of Christian charity, cordially aid and assist 
him in this sorry affair, that he may soon be helped out of 
his misery, and — as is his wont — honestly earn the bread for 
his family." 

It is doubtful whether Dolhain could be approached in 
London about the matter, because, as will be seen subse- 
quently, he returned to England in disgrace, and was even 
arrested there, and had probably then lost his influence upon 
his former captains. It is more probable that all — writers 
of the letter and skipper Dierick — saw Dolhain regarding 
the matter, about a month later, when he arrived at Emden 
for the purpose of disposing of part of the booty acquired in 
the Vlie. 

The power, as well as the resolve, of the Sea Beggars was, 
in the meantime, considerably increased. It appears that 
they — or at least a part of them — again intended to sur- 
prise some important maritime city in Northern Netherland ; 
chiefly for the sake of gaining a foothold in their own coun- 
try, and to be safe from the whims and moods of the foreign 
potentates ; who, sometimes cordially, at other times very 
unwillingly, sometimes not at all, would afford the freeboot- 
ers shelter in their harbors. 



The Sea Beggars as an Organization. 6i 

Antonis of Burgundy, Lord of Wacken, and royal stad- 
holder of the province of Zeeland, had, on September 5th, 
been informed by the Duke of Alba that a number of Flem- 
ings and Walloons had, in England, joined with some 
Frenchmen and Englishmen, for the purpose of uniting with 
the Frisian " pirates " in an attack upon some Netherland 
maritime city. This undoubtedly referred to Dolhain's 
expedition which had sailed about the time the letter had 
been written. Alba had his spies in every center of the 
Netherland exiles, and was thus constantly informed of their 
movements, and often of their projects. He was, therefore, 
nearly always able to forestall them, and to prevent many a 
well-laid enterprise in the interest of the country's freedom. 

Zeeland's stadholder, after receipt of Alba's letter, wrote 
on September nth, 1569, to Bruininck Van Wyngaarden at 
Zierikzee " to take the necessary precautions in the places 
where it may be needed to guard against all such invasions 
as may be set on foot against them, ever}'where stationing 
guards, and keeping a sharp watch ; also warning one an- 
other with fires or other signals, so that if any enemies ^ 
should approach, the forces could assist one another and be 
used for the above purpose." 

In consequence of Alba's warning, the principal towns and 
strongholds were fortified, and their garrisons increased ; 
probably, on this account, the Sea Beggars were obliged to 
abandon any attempt against seaboard cities, and confine 
themselves to operations at sea. 

About the same time another body of Sea Beggars, after 
having blockaded the North Holland and Friesland coasts 
and harbors, and having rendered the Zuiderzee unsafe, 
were forced by the gales of winter to quit the scenes of their 
activity, and, accordingly, they conceived the plan of sur- 
prising the stronghold of Delfzyl, in the province of Gron- 



62 The Sea Beggars. 



&&* 



ingen. This place was important, as it commanded the 
mouth of the river Ems, as well as the approach from the 
seaside to the city of Groningen. For a time the Sea 
Beggars blockaded Delfzyl, and closed the Ems with their 
ships. But as they were not equipped to besiege towns, and 
had, moreover, the energetic and resourceful Caspar De 
Robles opposed to them, their daily skirmishes and attacks 
resulted in nothing. They were soon forced to raise the 
blockade and siege, some of them leaving for England, 
others taking up winter quarters on the islands fringing the 
northern coasts of the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. 
Thence they constantly harassed the officials and friends of 
Spain in those provinces, and had many an encounter with 
Spanish troops. 

The Islands of Ameland and Terschelling had been con- 
verted by the Frisian and other Sea Beggars into the store- 
houses of their booty, and a place of safekeeping for their 
prisoners. In September, 1569, they had made themselves 
masters of those islands, principally owing to the Count of 
East Friesland's wavering policy in regard to the seafaring 
exiles, although he was undoubtedly friendly toward them. 
Fear of Alba, and of his powerful allies at the imperial court 
of Vienna, often led the count to adopt measures unfavorable 
to the Netherland freebooters. It was principally for this 
reason that they wanted a foothold where they should be 
independent of any one's good will. On the Island of 
Ameland they had taken possession of the castle of Pieter 
Van Camminga, the former lord of the island. He was an 
exile, and, a friend of his country, desired its freedom. 
His abandoned stronghold was very much coveted by both 
parties. On this account both Beggars and Spaniards made 
the castle their headquarters when in possession of the 
island, and their first attacks, after landing, were directed 



The Sea Beggars as an Organization. 63 

against its walls. The castle was the key to the whole 
island, and the party occupying it could consider itself master 
of Ameland. 

A few days after their conquest of Ameland, the Beggars, on 
September 12th, 1569, made a descent upon the neighboring 
Island of Terschelling. They were guided by the former 
parish priest of TerscheUing, — Father Jarich, — who had 
changed the cassock for the sword, and now served as the 
lieutenant of the Beggar chief Eelsma. Accordingly, at three 
o'clock in the morning of September 12th, the Sea Beggars 
suddenly frightened the inhabitants of Terschelling out of 
their slumbers, plundered some dwellings, demolished the 
summer mansion of the Count of Aremberg, stadholder under 
Spain of the province of Friesland, took the schout of the 
island and other prominent men prisoners, and departed 
with their spoils to their stronghold, — Ameland. From here 
they committed so many depredations against the loyal Fri- 
sians and Groningers, that Viglius Van Zuychem Van i\ytta, 
president of Alba's Council of State, and himself a Frisian, 
determined upon a plan. He prevailed upon the governor- 
general to confer full power and authority upon De Robles, 
and permit him to draw upon all the resources of the gov- 
ernment for the purpose of protecting those two northernmost 
provinces, and dislodging the Sea Beggars from their dan- 
gerous lurking-places. 

In the latter part of this month of September, 1569, the 
province of Holland was engaged in equipping twelve ships 
against the Beggars. The States of this province also ad- 
vised those of Friesland to do the same, proportionately to 
their ability, in order to attack unitedly the disturbers of 
their commerce, and to ensure the security of their citizens, 
especially those living in the open country. In reply to this 
request, the Frisian diet, October 12th, 1569, voted six thou- 



64 The Sea Beggars. 

sand Carolus guilders, for the purpose of protecting their 
people against the Sea Beggars, " who, under pretext of 
being their soldiers, cause much difficulty, trouble, and dam- 
age to the residents of this province, — living in the open 
country, and commit many depredations and much violence." 
With these six thousand guilders ships were equipped and 
manned with musketeers. Two months later, December 1 6th, 
1569, the stadholder of Friesland further ordered the various 
grietman?te7i to increase and arm properly the coast-guards, 
long before stationed in their various jurisdictions. 

Robles' first plan was to dislodge the Beggars from their 
strongholds ; for this purpose he despatched, in December, 
1569, a force of Spanish soldiers to the Island of Ameland. 
Here, however, the Spaniards were so warmly received by 
the Sea Beggars, under their impetuous commander, the 
famous Groninger nobleman, Barthold Entens Van Mentheda, 
that the attacking party was obliged to beat a precipitate 
retreat. Entens and his Sea Beggars remained for a month 
longer in undisputed possession of Camminga's stronghold 
and of the Island of Ameland, whence they continued plun- 
dering the Groninger and Frisian coasts whenever opportunity 
was favorable. This was not to be borne much longer, and 
Robles was resolved to drive them away at any cost. In 
January, 1570, he sent out a much stronger expedition than 
the one of the previous December, and this time he was 
more successful. Under his own leadership his troops sur- 
prised and attacked the Sea Beggars on Ameland. A short, 
decisive battle ensued, in which the Beggars were completely 
routed. Hardly a single one escaped unhurt, and Entens 
himself had scarcely time safely to reach his ship. The 
survivors were so thoroughly discouraged that winter, that 
they did not renew their efforts to regain possession of the 
island, and it is thought they may have joined their fellow 



The Sea Beggars as an Organization. 65 

Beggars at Emden, in the English ports, or at La Rochelle. 

At the beginning of this year 1570 plans were again laid 
to secure some important city for the cause of liberty in the 
province of Holland or Zeeland. The patriots had some 
such port in mind as Enkhuizen, Dordrecht, Rotterdam, 
Flushing, or Briel. The city of Dockum, in the northern 
part of the province of Friesland, was also to be surprised. 
Homme Hettinga, Barthold Entens Van Mentheda, and 
Vlieger Van de Nykerk were to gain over Dockum. But the 
Court of Friesland was opportunely informed of the intended 
surprise, and immediately took measures to prevent it : the 
plan of the patriots was frustrated. 

On February loth, 1570, three Groninger nobles, Pieter and 
Asinga Ripperda — brothers of Wybolt Ripperda, the heroic 
defender of Haarlem — and Poppo Ufkens Ten Dam offered 
to bring Sonoy, the prince's lieutenant in Northern Nether- 
land, three hundred men into the field, to undertake an attempt 
against some town. Lack of money, however, prevented 
Sonoy from immediately availing himself of their offer. 

In May of the same year two attempts were to be made, 
one against Flushing by Ufkens, the other against Enkhuizen 
by Sonoy. The partisans of liberty in those cities were in- 
formed of the plan, and promised their support. Ufkens 
equipped a squadron at Emden, everything was prepared, 
and they were ready to sail, when Emden's drost, or warden, 
Oene Freese, suddenly arrested the expedition, and had the 
cannon removed from the ships. After a long delay, he 
permitted the vessels to depart only after their captains had 
declared under oath that they were bound for some English 
port. This delay was fatal to the success of the expedition, 
and Flushing was obliged to bear the yoke two years longer. 

Sonoy, who had been equipping his fleet at Bremen, re- 
ceived intelligence that his few partisans within Enkhuizen's 
5 



66 The Sea Beggars. 

walls were unprepared to assist him, and that the city gov- 
ernment — favorable to the cause of Spain — did not intend to 
admit any garrison at all, neither Spaniards nor Beggars. 
Yet, ever after, secret efforts were made to gain over the 
cities of Enkhuizen, Hoorn, and Medenblik. Several prom- 
inent citizens and some members of the magistracy in those 
places had been won over to the cause of freedom, and it 
was specially owing to the efforts of Richard Klaaszoon and 
of Jan Klaaszoon Sloot — afterward burgomaster of Edam — 
that the subsequent espousal of the cause by these cities was 
made easier. 

These failures rendered it even more imperative now to 
try to gain a footing in the country. It became absolutely 
necessary to obtain possession of some Netherland strong- 
hold, to have not only a haven of refuge, but to gain a 
secure base of operations against other towns. Hence it 
became a settled purpose with the Beggars, as well as with 
the leaders of the revolt, to take by open force or by surprise 
some maritime city in Northern Netherland, and thus to 
become absolutely independent of the good will of foreign 
governments, who, however favorable to the cause, were, in 
their treatment of the Sea Beggars, forever swayed by selfish 
political considerations. 

While the Sea Beggars were thus active in their country's 
cause, the prince, though residing in distant Dillenburg, 
was not less vigilant in watching his adopted country's in- 
terests. He maintained a very ingenious system of corre- 
spondence with Sonoy, who lived mostly at Cleves or at Em- 
den, with Yonker Albrecht Van Huchtenbroeck, Adriaan Van 
Zwieten, Jacob Van Weezenbeek, Reinier Kant, and other 
patriots, so that he was fully informed of every event hap- 
pening in the country itself and among the exiles. On 
February 8th, 1570, Sonoy, at the peril of his life, began a 



The Sea Beggars as an Organization. 67 

trip through the provinces of Holland and Utrecht to collect ; 
money for the great plans that were to be carried into effect 
in the fall of the same year. According to the historian 
Hooft, this trip resulted not only in large contributions of 
money, but several daring spirits promised their uncondi- | 
tional cooperation, while " everywhere several attempts began 
to hatch." 

About the time of Sonoy's mission, in the month of 
Februar}^, 1570, Holland's stadholder, Bossu, resolved to 
deal a decisive blow to the Sea Beggars on the Zuiderzee, 
who were causing incalculable damage to the commerce of 
Amsterdam, as well as to the fishing interests of the smaller 
towns fringing the coasts of the Zuiderzee. The city of 
Hoorn added its contingent of two ships, one under the 
command of its burgomaster Jan Symonsz Rol, the other 
under Captain Jan Vest. They joined thetest of the fleet, 
gathered at Enkhuizen, and, twelve in number, under the 
supreme command of Texel's sellout Fran9ois Van Boshuizen, 
went in search of the depredators. The Sea Beggars, not 
deeming it advisable to await the onslaught of so well- 
equipped and powerful an armada, took refuge in the Ems, 
there expecting to be safe from attack. They were mis- 
taken. For Boshuizen immediately followed them, and, 
unexpectedly coming upon them, surprised and captured 
two of their ships. The others were scattered, "mostly 
through the diligence and courage of our Burgomaster Jan 
Symensz Rol, who, because of this feat, was greatly esteemed 
by the Duke of Alba, and by him was promoted vice-admiral 
of the entire fleet," says Hoorn 's ancient chronicler Dr. 
Velius in his account of the engagement. At the same time. 
Alba ordered troops to be stationed in Hoorn and Meden- 
blik, to protect them against rumored attacks by the Sea 
Beggars, and for this purpose several companies of soldiers 



68 The Sea Beggars. 

were withdrawn from the central Spanish garrison at 
Utrecht. 

The attempt of Yonker Lancelot Van Brederode against 
Enkhuizen, although futile, as well as many other signs of re- 
newed activity upon the part of the patriots, at last quickened 
Alba with the fear that even the maritime cities in his imme- 
diate neighborhood would be safe no longer. As early, indeed, 
as March i8th, 1570, he issued written orders to the authori- 
ties of the cities of Ghent and Antwerp, wherein he com- 
manded them to watch day and night for the safety of their re- 
spective towns against the depredating attacks of the Sea 
Beggars. He also admonished them to be most careful in 
watching and interrogating every stranger within their juris- 
diction that appeared at all suspicious, and to deliver up to 
justice every one that should fail to give a satisfactory ac- 
count of himself. Small sail boats also were to be equipped, 
each manned by six or eight sailors, armed with muskets. The 
boats were to cruise on the rivers and streams in their im- 
mediate neighborhood, and thus to guard against and to 
frustrate every attempt of the Sea Beggars to plunder coun- 
try houses or to kidnap wealthy partisans of Spain. 

That Alba's fears and preparations were not quite super- 
fluous, was shown by the capture of the marketship between 
Amsterdam and Antwerp, by the intrepid Jan Van Troyen. 
This daring chief of the Sea Beggars, the son of an humble 
Rotterdam skipper, commanding a ship and crew of thirty- 
five, boldly visited the South Holland waters, plundering, 
pillaging, and carrying off the enemies of his country's free- 
dom, and disappearing only for a short time when the Span- 
ish authorities were too close upon his heels. To protect 
themselves and their burghers against Jan Van Troyen and 
other depredating Sea Beggars, the cities of Gouda, Delft, 
and Dordrecht were also obliged to maintain upon the in- 



The Sea Beggars as an Organization. 69 

land waters and canals heavily armed yachts, manned by 
soldiers and artillerists, employed at the expense of those 
cities. All this occurred through the fault of a king and 
people holding no claim to a country perfectly able to govern 
itself and to direct its own affairs, and, hence, to dispense 
with the supervision and meddling of intruding aliens. 

Because of the recent defeat of the Sea Beggars on the 
Ems, and the concerted action of Bossu and Robles against 
them, a great number of them was forced, for the time 
being, to leave these coasts and waters. At the beginning 
of March most of them set sail for England, closely pursued 
by the Spanish fleet. A severe storm arose, during which 
their flagship and three other large vessels were lost, — due 
chiefly to carelessness, drunkenness, and lack of discipline, 
as is evident from Dolhain's letters to the prince. The ad- 
miral, who had remained at Emden and entrusted the com- 
mand to his brother, did not appear to take the loss very 
seriously, as he said the heavy cannon and ammunition 
had been mostly removed from his ship. This was the 
second time that the Sea Beggars lost their flagship, but 
when or where the first loss occurred is not known. For- 
tunately for the freebooters, the storm that had caused them 
such heavy losses, also struck their pursuing enemy, so that 
he was obliged to abandon the chase. 

The Netherland coasts and shipping were now granted a 
short respite from the attacks of the principal body of the 
Sea Beggars, owing to their stay in England. Here they were 
favorably received, and the wife of Gabriel De Montgomery 
— the involuntary slayer of Henry H. of France, — even pre- 
sented them with a splendid ship, which the Sea Beggars 
named " De Gravin " (the Countess) in her honor. 

While in the English Channel the Netherland freebooters 
often committed acts that cost them the favor of both the 



70 The Sea Beggars. 

French and the English government. They would pursue 
the merchantmen into Enghsh harbors, until the command- 
ers of those ports were obliged to fire upon them. One of 
their most prominent chiefs, Schoonewal, was, as a conse- 
quence, arrested by the English authorities at Dover, and 
put into prison. Lumbres, the future admiral of the Sea 
Beggars, and Jerome Tseraerts — the prince's master of the 
horse, now commanding a Beggar ship — who in succession 
had acted as William's commissaries in England, did their 
utmost to persuade the Privy Council to have Schoonewal 
released. They appear to have been successful ; for, some 
months later he was again in command of his ship. 

In France, where the Sea Beggars to a certain extent en- 
joyed the freedom of the ports, for purposes of selling their 
prizes, victualing and repairing their ships, they behaved at 
times but little better than in England. On April 23d, 1570, 
the French King gave orders to have them arrested, after 
his officers had been obliged to prevent some of them, at the 
cannon's mouth, from attacking vessels in or near French 
harbors. 

Though a large part of the fleet of the Sea Beggars had 
been forced to leave for the English Channel in February 
and March of the year 1570 all had not left, — as Friesland 
experienced to its cost. It appears that the great body of 
Frisian exiles, nobles as well as commoners, could not bear, 
for any length of time, to be far away from the land from 
which foreign tyranny had exiled them. The crews of Dol- 
hain's ships numbered many foreigners. Most of his captains, 
however, were Netherlanders. 

Among the Sea Beggars that remained close to the Frisian 
coasts and islands were few foreigners, even few hailing 
from other Netherland provinces, except the province of 
Groningen. Nearly all were Frisians, who, though unable 



The Sea Beggars as an Organization. 71 

to tear their province from the grasp of the aUen oppressor, 
could at least cause much damage to him and to his Frisian 
partisans. In the month of May, 1570, a band of ninety- 
Frisian Sea Beggars surprised and sacked the little city of 
Hindelopen, near the southern coast of Friesland, leaving 
only after having " lined their clothing with money." In 
the following month they undertook a " shore walk " to the 
grieteny of West Dongeradeel, where Reinier Frittema, an 
ardent partisan of Spain, was grietman. In 1567, he had 
succeeded Jan Bonga, who had been deposed and exiled 
for embracing his country's cause, and who, ever since the 
first appearance of the Sea Beggars, had been an influential 
leader among them. Frittema was lifted from his bed, and, 
with a considerable amount of booty, taken to the Beggar 
ships. Here his friends procured his liberation only after 
paying a heavy ransom. 

The raids became so frequent, and were executed with 
such boldness and secrecy that, before long, no nobleman or i 
rich partisan of Spain dared stay in the country, but was 
compelled to seek safety within the walls of fortified towns. 
Even the soldiers of Robles, indifferently and irregularly 
paid, often undertook raids into the open country, plundered 
those they had enlisted to protect, and pressed every third 
man from among the country people to do military duty. 
Man and nature seemed to have conspired to destroy the 
unfortunate province and ruin its wretched inhabitants. 

Meantime an attempt was making to gain Holland's most 
ancient town, the city of Dordt, or Dordrecht, for the prince 
and liberty. Gysbrecht Jansz Koning, a Sea Beggar from 
Dordrecht, was to effect this ; and, for this purpose, he had 
succeeded in entering the city. He secreted himself in the 
house of his father, Jan Gysbrechts Coninck, who knew of 
the plan and favored it, and who had received a commission 



72 The Sea Beggars. 

of the prince, while Pieter Jansen, an uncle of the Sea Beg- 
gar, was also in the secret. But their correspondence being 
discovered, the attempt was frustrated, and the aged Jan 
Coninck, unable to fly, paid with his life for the crime of 
patriotism, and was burnt at the stake within the capital of 
Brussels. It would have been too dangerous to have ex- 
ecuted him at Dordt, or at any other place where there was 
not an overpoweringly-strong Spanish garrison to hold the 
excited populace in check. 

Notwithstanding their late reverses, the strength of the 
Sea Beggars constantly increased. William and his brother 
Louis issued new commissions to noble and prominent 
Netherlanders. From the river Ems to the Gulf of Biscay, 
and far into the Atlantic Ocean the Beggar ships — now 
flying the prince's colors — rendered the sea unsafe to all 
Spanish craft likely to contain anything else than sailors or 
soldiers. Jan Van Troyen also had now shifted the scene 
of his activity. He left the waters of South Holland for the 
river Ems and the city of Emden, probably to dispose of part 
of his booty, probably to learn if something could not be 
done from that base in the interest of his oppressed country. 

William the Silent had again advised the capture of some 
maritime city, this time Antwerp, where the majority of the 
people were favorable to the cause of their country's free- 
dom. With this object in view Sonoy had equipped a few 
ships at Bremen, while Pompejus Ufkens Ten Dam, a 
Groningen noble, who had spent a fortune in vain attempts to 
free his country, had done the same thing at Emden. Joannis 
Basius, the prince's commissary at Emden, at the same time 
advised three Beggar captains to undertake a trip to the 
Vlie and the Zuiderzee with a view to gaining some booty 
and also to keep the enemy occupied. These captains were 
Adriaan Manninck, a painter of Delft, a man of great force of 



The Sea Beggars as an Organization. 73 

mind and character, who had escaped from the disaster at 
Oosterweel in 1567 ; Nicholaas Ruychaver, a patrician 
burgher of Haarlem, one of the noblest characters of the 
earlier years of the revolt ; and the daring Jan Van Troyen, 
for whom Basius had equipped a serviceable ship at Emden. 

On the evening of June 14th, 1570, these Sea Beggars en- 
tered the Vlie, and cast anchor close to Bossu's ship. This 
they attacked the following morning. A savage fight en- 
sued, during which Van Troyen and three of his men 
boarded the Spanish admiral's ship. An accident, or per- 
haps a cleverly-executed move on the part of the Spanish 
helmsman, separated the vessels. Van Troyen, sorely 
pressed by the Spanish soldiers, jumped overboard and 
saved himself upon a merchantman anchored some distance 
from the scene of battle. A Spanish officer and a boat's 
crew directly boarded the merchantman, which surrendered 
Van Troyen. He and his three companions were carried 
to Amsterdam, where, during several months, they were held 
in close captivity. 

The Sea Beggars were furious at the loss of their favorite ; 
they threatened to raze Amsterdam and Enkhuizen to the 
ground, and to kill every Amsterdammer or Waterlander 
that should happen to fall into their hands if any harm came 
to Van Troyen. The fear of these threats made the 
authorities of Amsterdam hesitate to execute him. They 
wrote to Alba regarding it. He answered that, if they had 
immediately executed Van Troyen, the talk and excitement 
about it would long before have died out. He therefore 
ordered his immediate execution ; which took place in the 
month of October, 1570. The Sea Beggars promptly re- 
taliated by suspending a captured pilot from the bow of one 
of their ships, and riddling him with bullets. 

It appears, however, that Bossu had either been defeated 



74 The Sea Beggars. 

in the foregoing encounter, or had not succeeded in driving 
the Sea Beggars from the VHe. At least, the city of Am- 
sterdam requested the States of Holland to grant money for 
more ships to oppose the Beggars ; while it is also evident 
from a resolution passed by the States of that province, 
dated June 19th, 1570, that Johan Basius had received part 
of the contributions (brandschatting) and of the booty. It 
even is evident from the deliberations of the States that the 
Sea Beggars continued to harass the commerce and fisheries 
of their province, and to appear again upon the inland 
waters. 

The attempt against Antwerp, however, had to be aban- 
doned for the present. 

Dolhain — who had not accompanied his squadron after it 
had been forced to seek refuge in Enghsh waters near the 
spring of this year, 1570 — took up his abode at first in 
Nesserland, between Emden and Reid. Later he cruised with 
a number of ships before the mouth of the Ems. From 
there he rendered the coasts and islands of Friesland and 
Groningen unsafe, and was in a position also easily to inter- 
cept merchantmen from the Baltic or the Scandinavian 
countries, destined to Netherland ports. For this purpose 
he utilized yachts and smaller vessels, through which he 
gained information about the grain ships coming from the 
port of Dantzic and from other harbors on the Baltic. 

Alba again ordered the Count of Bossu to proceed with 
his twelve ships against the Beggars, and Robles was in- 
structed to add eight more to this squadron, already so 
powerful. With this fleet Bossu went in search of the 
enemy ; but when he found them the weather was too severe 
to engage in battle. Dolhain made use of this opportunity 
to evade his assailants, but so precipitate was his flight that 
part of his fleet became unmanageable, and he lost twelve 



The Sea Beggars as an Organization. 75 

of his ships. Three of the larger ones, with some cannon 
and ammunition, were taken by the Spaniards ; the other 
nine were burned. 

After Dolhain had permitted his fleet to leave for Eng- 
land without him, the prince's commissary at Emden, 
Johan Basius, demanded an accounting, for the purpose of 
receiving his share of the booty. It was estimated that, 
with the last successful raid on the Baltic fleet in the Vlie, 
in September, 1569, this booty would amount to little less 
than three hundred thousand dollars. The admiral refused 
to account to Basius, whereupon the prince threatened to 
depose him. Hereupon he left Emden, and in March, 
1570, went to the prince at Dillenburg, where he arrived 
not only empty-handed but even demanded the payment of 
five thousand dollars as money advanced by him for the 
cause! Dolhain further passed his time in continual quar- 
rels with William, who was greatly disturbed by the ad- 
miral's refusal to account to him, and by his unwillingness to 
sail with the fleet. After his last disastrous engagement 
against Bossu, Dolhain returned to England, where he was 
immediately arrested by order of the English government. 



Chapter Three, 

Under Their Second Admiral. 

THE prince now dismissed Dolhain from office, 
and resolved to have him replaced by another 
in whom he could trust, and who would also 
be more capable of maintaining discipline. 
The cities of Hamburg and Bremen, and even Emden 
itself, had lodged complaints with the Diet at Spires in 
regard to the excesses of the Sea Beggars, which would force 
William either to disavow them, — something he could not 
and would not do, — or else to replace the man under whose 
supreme command the lawless acts had been committed. 
Still, William was magnanimous ; he did not want to offend 
unnecessarily Dolhain ; therefore he made it appear as if 
all irregularities had taken place after Dolhain had severed 
his active connection with the Beggar Fleet, as is shown from 
the following advice to his successor : " The lack of au- 
thority, little discipline, and disorder which have existed on 
our ships of war since the departure of the honorable 

Adriaan Van Berghes, Lord of Dolhain " 

Dolhain, after permitting the fleet to proceed to England 
without him, entrusted the supreme command to his brother 
Louis Van Bergen, who had charge already of eight ships. 
It was first proposed to appoint him admiral, but wiser 

counsel prevailed, and Guislain De Fiennes, Lord of Lum- 

76 



Under Their Second Admiral. 77 

bres, was named in his stead. Lumbres was not only well 
known to the prince and his brother Louis, but was an in- 
timate friend of both, and had, prior to this, been employed 
by them in the country's service, especially as negotiator, 
and as commissary among the exiles in England. It is even 
probable that in some capacity or other he had been actively 
connected with the Sea Beggars, in consequence of which 
he was now honored with the supreme command. It is 
quite certain that he was a man of courage and caution. 
His family came originally from Artois, and both he and his 
elder brother Eustache, who also was an ardent supporter 
of the cause, and a close friend of Louis of Nassau, had, in 
1565, signed the " Compromis," or covenant of the nobles. 
It is probable that, through the influence of Count Louis, 
who more especially superintended naval affairs, Lumbres 
was appointed admiral of the Beggar Fleet. 

It was, therefore, on August loth, 1570, that the prince 
commissioned the " Honorable Guislain De Fiennes, Knight, 
Lord of Lumbres, Chief and Captain-General of all ships, 
large and small at sea, which the Lord of Dolhain and, since 
his departure, the Lord of Bergen, have commanded, besides 
all other ships cruising in our name in any other parts of the 
sea, or that shall hereafter be equipped and armed for our 
service. All of these ships we desire to unite into one fleet, 
under the command and government of the said Lord of Lum- 
bres, as long as we shall see fit, conferring upon him perfect 
power and authority, and by the present [giving] special 
orders to war against, attack, and cause damage to the Duke 
of Alba and his adherents, the disturbers and enemies of the 
common peace and prosperity, the liberties and ancient 
privileges, of the country, and the service of the king." 

From this last clause it will be observed that the prince 
always kept up the fiction of fighting for the king against 



78 The Sea Beggars. 

his unworthy functionaries in the Netherlands. Political 
considerations induced William and his advisers thus to act, 
as the conviction of the divine right of kings was so strong 
in all the surrounding monarchies that it was dangerous for a 
small people to revolt against their legal sovereign, even if 
that sovereign should commit the most revolting and unlaw- 
ful acts. Queen Elizabeth of England was, for political 
considerations, perfectly willing, in a desultory manner, to 
support the Netherlanders against the Duke of Alba, under 
the fiction that he was an usurper, unfaithful to his sovereign, 
and acting without his knowledge and consent. But she 
was not willing to assist them against Philip II., their God- 
anointed sovereign. She declared herself unwilling to assist 
" subjects in revolt against their Lord," perhaps as much 
from fear that the revolutionary doctrine and example 
might infest her own subjects, as out of sympathy with her 
royal cousin of Spain. Hov/ever, she was not at all averse, 
without too much danger to herself, to assist in curtailing 
the growth of a power that had become too formidable to be 
regarded with composure. 

Even among the common people of the Netherlands there 
were many thousands that, though strongly opposed to Alba 
and his measures, would not countenance any direct revolt 
against their divinely-appointed ruler in far-away Madrid. 
They honestly thought he was kept in ignorance of the real 
state of affairs in their country, and that he would speedily 
right matters could he only be prevailed upon to pay a visit 
to his loyal Netherland provinces. This was one of the 
reasons why the leaders of the revolt, who knew much 
better, kept up the semblance of fighting for the king till 
1 58 1. At that time the condition of affairs, and the temper 
of the people, had undergone such a change that they were 
in a position to abjure their sovereign, and to act upon the 



Under Their Second Admiral. 79 

principle that rulers exist for their people, not the people 
for their rulers. 

Dolhain was soon discharged from his confinement in 
England, and William now offered him the command of a 
few ships. This the former admiral of the Beggar Fleet 
refused. It was everywhere rumored that he had become 
very rich. That he went to live in opulence at Cologne, 
Germany, was certain. Here he passed his leisure ; at first 
in continual quarrels with the prince. But after some 
time, a reconciliation took place, and Dolhain again en- 
gaged in the cause of his country. This time on land. In 
1572 he met a soldier's death during William's vain attempt 
to relieve Mons, or Bergen, in the province of Hainault, 
where the prince's brother Louis was besieged by the Span- 
iards. 

The new admiral had also received an entirely new set of 
instructions, which, above everything else, concerned the 
common interest and the cause for which the Sea Beggars 
professed to fight. The ships were to be held together for 
mutual assistance, some of them to be used for special 
attempts. No more criminals were to be allowed to take 
service on the fleet ; no more foreigners were to command 
ships, unless especially authorized by the prince ; no 
more irregular freebooters and privateers were to be incor- 
porated into the fleet, unless a rigid investigation of their 
history showed that they were guiltless of criminal conduct. 

In regard to the booty and prizes, it was stipulated that 
one-third should go to the prince to be used for the com- 
mon cause, to be paid into the hands of his commissary at 
Emden, Johan Basius ; one-third to the captains, out of which 
they were to provision and equip their vessels ; the last 
third to the crews ; and one-tenth of this last third was to 
be the share of the admiral. 



8o The Sea Beggars. 

Although these instructions were powerless to improve at 
once the character of the Sea Beggars, it is certain that a 
little better discipline was instantly visible in the fleet, 
which was owing perhaps as much, or more, to the new 
admiral's personality as to the instructions issued by the 
prince. Still, the prince did not yet feel quite assured in 
regard to the conduct of his loyal Sea Beggars. At this 
same time Anne of Austria, bride and niece of Philip II. of 
Spain, was to sail from Antwerp to Spain, and William very 
much feared that the Sea Beggars might attempt to capture 
her and the fleet that was to convey her. Had they done 
so, the whole of Europe would have risen in arms against 
them, and the cause of liberty for the Netherlands would not 
only have been much compromised, but absolutely crushed. 
On this account, the prince added to the general instruc- 
tions under the same date, August loth, 1570, special instruc- 
tions to his admiral and to all the captains of the fleet, order- 
ing them, under penalty of his highest displeasure, not to 
molest or interfere with this expedition. The royal convoy 
consisted of twenty-six men-of-war, and more than sixty 
other vessels, — ninety in all, — and had cost the Nether- 
lands the sum of £s^,g$i Flemish, an immense amount in 
those days ; taking, too, into consideration the greatly impov- 
erished condition of the country. To put the fleet that 
was to convey his sovereign's bride to Spain in a proper 
state of defense. Alba removed most of the heavy cannon 
from the walls of Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Sluis, Veurne, 
Mechelen, Rammekens, Flushing, Zierikzee, Middelburg, 
and Veer, and embarked, besides, 1400 regular soldiers. 

The Sea Beggars, however, because cf William's injunc- 
tions, did not have the least intention of attacking the 
future wife of their unworthy sovereign ; so she reached 
Spain without being molested. 



Under Their Second Admiral. 8i 

In England the Spanish ambassador was more active than 
ever. Besides secretly intriguing against Queen Elizabeth's 
government, he protested in public against the protection 
offered by that same government to the Sea Beggars. Some- 
times those protests were effective ; for, shortly after Lum- 
bres' appointment, Lord Cobham received orders to confis- 
cate their prizes if the Sea Beggars should again take them 
into the harbor of Dover to dispose of them there. The 
admiral's protests against this and other orders concerning 
the Sea Beggars bore no fruit except in the liberation of 
Captain Schoonewal. But the proclamations against the 
Beggars, also because of complaints by English and Ham- 
burg merchants, provisionally remained in force, and, from 
time to time, were renewed. 

The pernicious activity of Alba's spies had often caused 
much trouble and harm to the Sea Beggars, and more than 
once had prevented the execution of their seemingly best- 
laid plans. On this account, the freebooters were not dis- 
posed to treat those spies leniently when they fell into their 
hands. The Beggar captain Entens, who commanded a 
number of Sea-Beggar ships, congregating in the waters of 
the Count of East Friesland, had, on September 12th, 1570, 
captured Philip Abue, a spy of De Robles. Two hours 
after his capture an officer of the fleet visited the spy, and 
informed him in the name of Entens that he had been con- 
demned to be beheaded and quartered ; after this the four 
quarters were to be stuck on poles in four different places of 
the province of North Holland. It appears, however, that 
the intervention of the burgomasters of Groningen, with the 
drost and several influential burghers of Emden, secured 
the spy a respite, and subsequently his liberty. On Septem- 
ber 25th the prisoner was conducted before the Council of 

War, at whose opening Entens addressed the spy in the fol- 
6 



82 The Sea Beggars. 

lowing language : " We, nobles, captains, and provosts of 
the warships belonging to the very august and very puissant 
lord — the Prince of Aurania — who has commissioned and 
ordered us to protect the righteous, to punish the bad, and 
to pardon those who deserve it ; we, as the true pillars of 
the Christian faith, promise to save your life if you shall 
speak the truth. Otherwise, we shall cause you to die a 
thousand deaths." This high-flown language, instead of 
abashing or intimidating the spy, only caused him to laugh 
derisively at his judges and their spokesman. Enten^ be- 
side himself with rage, ordered his immediate execution. A 
stout rope was thrown over the yard-arm of his prison-ship, 
a noose put round the unlucky spy's neck, and he was 
quickly suspended between heaven and earth. After having 
hung a few seconds he was lowered and asked how he liked 
the King of Spain's service. Probably because of the above- 
named influences, he was not further molested. Afterward 
he was ransomed for the small amount of three hundred and 
ninety-five guilders. 

Spanish oppression, meanwhile, had not abated. By the 
aid of his army of occupation. Alba had continued not only 
to hold the people in check, but even his soldiers often 
played at brigandage, and behaved so badly within and 
without their garrisons that the most ardent partisans of 
Spain overwhelmed the duke with complaints. The city 
council of Mechlin, for instance, after their city had for a 
period of twenty-one months been burdened with a Spanish 
garrison, and the alien misgovernment had driven commerce 
and industries away from their town, were obliged, on Sep- 
tember i8th, 1570, to complain to the duke about " the lamen- 
tations, tears, and moanings of the poor people " who had 
been forced to provide the Spanish garrison with linen 



Under Their Second Admiral. 83 

and furniture, which those lawless hordes had long before 
destroyed, and who now wanted fresh supplies. 

During the summer and fall of this year, 1570, great prep- 
arations were made to attempt something important for the 
liberation of the distressed country. But these undertak- 
ings again miscarried, this time because of the inclemency 
of the elements. While the prince and the leaders of the 
Sea Beggars were still busy with their preparations, a part 
of the fleet had returned to the waters of Holland, and 
Hoorn's chronicler gives the following account of their 
doings there : " In the meantime the freebooters caused 
much damage at sea, and most of the time cruised before 
the mouths of the rivers — sometimes even venturing inside 
— in the Vlie, on the Wadden, and also along the coasts of 
Friesland. At one time they took twenty-four herring busses, 
and later two Spanish vessels, loaded with piece goods. On 
September 30th Lancelot Van Brederode and some other cap- 
tains again arrived in De Vlie, and captured eight large ships 
loaded with stock fish, cod-liver oil, skins, and similar mer- 
chandise ; later three flieboats, some pilot-boats, a boyer 
loaded with herring ; also took seven or eight other vessels, 
which they permitted to depart, after paying ransom. So 
much damage was caused that the duke was again obliged 
to equip ships. And this was done in all of these maritime 
cities, especially at Hoorn. But he did not have great suc- 
cess, some of his ships even deserting to the Beggars." 

While Brederode and his associates were thus causing 
great damage to the enemy in the region of the Zuiderzee 
and the Vlie, the Frisian Sea Beggars constantly kept up 
their harassing practises in their own province. During the 
night of September 26th the Frisian Beggar chief, Egbert 
Wybrantsen, and his crew, attacked the small seaboard city 
of Workum — the oldest town of Friesland — plundered every 



84 The Sea Beggars. 

building that belonged to or sheltered friends or partisans of 
Spain, destroyed the castle and everything in it that they 
could not take away with them, and carried off some pris 
oners, for whom they intended to demand a ransom of six 
thousand crowns. This ransom — a letter informed the 
friends of the prisoners — was to be sent within two weeks, 
"to Emden, to the house of Andries Wybrantsz, in the 
Houtzagers Street, near the house of the wife of the treas- 
urer; next to an inn." Andries Wybrantsz, at whose house 
Captain Egbert was staying at the time the letter was written, 
was probably the captain's brother, and also a Sea Beggar, 
The Beggars had conveyed their prisoners to Norden, but 
the demanded ransom was not paid, as Count Edzard of 
East Friesland, fearing the wrath of Alba and the Emperor, 
ordered the Beggars to liberate their prisoners without 
insisting upon the ransom, and even confiscated Wybrant- 
zen's ship. At the same time, the count forced the Beggars 
to discharge the dangerous Spanish partisans, Jan Van 
Mepsche, and Rempt Jensema, for whom they had intended 
to ask a ransom of five thousand guilders — one more reason 
for possessing a stronghold of their own in their own 
country ! 

As has been related, the leaders of the revolt, during the 
summer and fall of 1570, had been busy making preparations 
for a decisive blow against Spanish domination in Northern 
Netherland. The prince's emissaries had, for this purpose, 
been collecting contributions among the exiles in Germany 
and in England ; among their French friends at La Rochelle, 
and among the secret adherents of the cause in the Nether- 
lands. New ships had been equipped, fresh ammunition and 
better artillery had been procured, and a small army was 
being levied in Germany, near the boundaries of the Nether- 
lands. The cities of Enkhuizen and Hoorn, of Dordrecht 



Under Their Second Admiral. 85 

and Delft, of Rotterdam and Briel, with the entire Island of 
Voorne, were to be surprised from the seaside. Zwol, 
Kampen, Deventer, Zutphen were to be attacked from the 
direction of Germany. Even Dunkirk and Amsterdam were 
mentioned. It was known that thousands among the resi- 
dents of these cities were tired of the yoke of Spain, and that 
many of their inhabitants were ready to assist in any promis- 
ing enterprise, however bold, to gain them over to the cause 
of liberty- and progress. 

In October, Admiral De Lumbres was cruising near the 
Isle of Wight with a squadron consisting of fourteen or fif- 
teen staunch vessels. He was there awaiting the arrival of 
Count Louis of Nassau, who was then at La Rochelle, ex- 
pecting assistance from his French friends and allies in the 
projected enterprise against the Netherland ports. The 
Frisian Beggars, under Barthold Entens Van Mentheda and 
Lancelot Van Brederode, were getting ready in the Ems. 
This was to be the first time in all their histor}^ that the 
entire body of Sea Beggars were to unite in one great effort 
against Spanish domination. Brederode, Entens, Ruychaver, 
Menninck, Albrecht Benningerhof, and other Beggar chiefs 
were, with six hundred men, to attack the cities of Enkhuizen 
and Hoorn. As related before, their cruise in the Vlie and 
on the Zuiderzee — preliminary- to the later attempt, although 
procuring them much booty — had no lasting result. 

When all preparations had been completed, and the vari- 
ous attempts were about to be made, the fearful storrn 
and inundation during the night, of October 31st, 1570, 
— the terrible gale of All Saints' Eve — devastated the 
coasts. It not only dispersed the Beggar Fleet but also 
caused the sea to break through the dykes, drowning tens of 
thousands of Netherlanders, who had hitherto escaped sword, 
famine, and pestilence. Brederode and his associates, not 



le Sea Beggars. 

at all discouraged by this unlooked-for catastrophe, were 
r/eady to renew the attempt as soon as the damage to their 
ships had been repaired. But Basius, the prince's com- 
missary, did not appear at the propitious time ; and, without 
his orders and active cooperation, they could not proceed. 

The prince himself, in his attack on Deventer, had been 
surprised by the sleet and inundation of an early winter. 
His expedition also resulted in nothing. Some of William's 
partisans among the burghers of Deventer had agreed to 
open one of the city gates as soon as he should present him- 
self with a sufficient force. But the season was too far ad- 
vanced, and snow impeded the movements of his troops. 
William employed hundreds of country people to make 
passable the road between Dillenburg and Wesel, while he 
and his brother followed on foot, leading the troops and en- 
couraging the workmen. But now the thaw and rain caused 
freshets, and the attempt had to be abandoned. Pacieco, 
the Spanish commander at Deventer, had, meanwhile, be- 
come suspicious. In this connection the Dutch historian 
Hooft makes the following remarks : ** But it is surprising 
that everything was kept so quiet where so many of every 
condition, sex and age, rich and poor, knew of it, and that 
nothing of the secret was disclosed either through treason, 
fear, or carelessness. This was a plain mark of the undying 
hatred against the Spaniards, and was also the cause that 
the attempts, at first unsuccessful, were ever after renewed. 
Pacieco, the governor of Deventer, however, became suspi- 
cious — it is not known why — and arrested several burghers, 
whom he tortured to death ; but he was never able to get at 
the truth of the matter, or to discover the chief conspir- 
ators." 

When the Beggar ships on the Zuiderzee were again ready 
to make their attempt against Enkhuizen and Hoorn, the 



Under Their Second Admiral. 87 

ice forced them to seek safer quarters elsewhere, out of reach 
of the enemy. Brederode, before saihng away, undertook 
the conquest of the Island of Texel, for the purpose of using 
it as a base of operations in future enterprises, as well as a 
place of safekeeping for his booty and prisoners. But his 
ships were caught in the ice and barely escaped shipwreck. 
Ruychaver and Entens had already lost all hope of escape 
when one last supreme effort saved both, and they also ex- 
tricated themselves from the ice. Arriving in the Vlie — still 
comparatively unobstructed — Brederode captured, subjected 
to ransom, or plundered five merchantmen. Others went to 
Emden, where ten of the Beggar ships were arrested by 
the Count of East Friesland, and the Beggar chief. Dirk 
Van Bremen, was imprisoned upon accusation of having^ 
caused damage to the count's waters and territories. Sub- 
sequently it transpired that Count Edzard feared Alba was 
making preparations to have him punished for his too-open 
support of the Sea Beggars. 

The audacious Entens made for his old stronghold, the 
Island of Ameland, in hopes of meeting with better success 
there than he had had at Texel. He succeeded in his de- 
sign, but two months later, in January, 1571, Robles' soldiers 
drove the Sea Beggars away. Again they lost the only foot- 
hold they possessed in their fatherland. 

While Entens, Brederode and others of their fellow Beg- 
gars constantly kept the northern part of the country in 
unrest, other Sea Beggars, in imitation of Jan Van Troyen, 
had invaded the waters of Zeeland and South Holland. But 
they never tarried very long, and their depredations in these 
waters were of a sporadic character. 

In November, 1570, Captain Ruychaver, assisted by 
Gerrit Gerritsen Van Oudewater, Jan Jansen Van der 
Nywenburg, Andries Pieters De Bie, and skipper Calfsvel^ 



88 The Sea Beggars. 

plundered the marketship between 'sHertogenbosch and 
Antwerp, and, besides a large quantity of merchandise, took 
4,500 dollars in money from it. A little before this time 
they had made a raid on Ooltgensplaat, a village on the 
Island of Overflakkee in South Holland, and had plundered 
the house of a rich beer-merchant, and taken away the bells 
from the church steeple, to have them recast into cannon for 
their ships. 

Of all the attem.pts contemplated in the fall and early winter 
of the year 1570, only one succeeded; and although it did 
not bear any direct fruit in promoting the cause of liberty, 
yet it left a lasting impression upon the minds of the people, 
serving thus to keep alive the hope of future liberation. On 
December 2d, 1570, Herman De Ruyter, a scion of an old 
and noble family of the province of Gelderland, surprised 
the stronghold of Loevenstein for the prince, and, after a 
most gallant defense of the fort he had taken, he set fire to 
the gunpowder. The historian Hooft gives the following 
graphic description of the surprise and subsequent defense 
of the castle : " Harman De Ruyter of 's Hartogenbosch, 
for some time a cattle-dealer, yet a man of very strong 
character, and with a natural inclination for warlike deeds, 
undertook a gallant attempt, which had lasting importance. 
At the western extremity of the Bommelerwaardt a castle 
may be seen, named Loevestein, commanding the Maas and 
Waal, which converge at that point, favorably situated to 
make a descent upon Workom and Gorkom, where, also, 
some of the inhabitants had been gained over. He and 
three companions succeeded in getting in the castle. They 
then slew the commander, and took the fortress, expecting 
assistance promised by Count Van den Bergh, the prince's 
brother-in-law, which, however, was prevented by the 
frost and the freshets. But he did not lose courage. 



Under Their Second Admiral. 89 

Having gathered about twenty-four men, he set to work 
to fortify as much as possible the place, walled only in 
the old way. Thereupon Lorenzo Perea, a Spanish 
captain, was sent thither from Den Bos, with a hundred 
and fifty musketeers and pikemen ; some laborers from 
Workom and Gorkom also were added to the force. This 
[commander] thinking it strange that they had dared to 
wait for him, demanded the surrender of the castle ; and re- 
ceiving an unfavorable reply, he bombarded it with his heavy 
artillery. De Ruyter, calmly awaiting the worst, and in- 
flamed with courage, called his companions together, and, 
addressing them, inspired them to such an extent with his 
own intrepidity, that, between a dishonorable death and the 
honorable death of a soldier, they preferred the latter, and 
embraced the resolve to defend themselves until their last 
drop of blood. The Spaniards — so many against one, and 
easily able to recuperate their losses — attempted to cross the 
ditches with ladders. And while the defenders were busy 
repairing the breaches in the wall, the assailants scaled 
the same in their rear, killing everybody they met. De 
Ruyter thought only of how he could sell his life most dearly 
and best avenge himself. He therefore took a position 
behind the doorway of a room, swinging a long sword with 
both hands, and, singly resisting the entire attack, did fear- 
ful execution, while the enemy stood aghast at so much 
calm severity. At last, overwhelmed by numbers, he set 
fire to some gunpowder, previously spread upon the floor, 
and destroyed himself, companions, and assailants in a 
general overthrow. But they — whose ancestors, at the foot 
of the staircase inside the castle of Naples, erected a marble 
statue in honor of a Frenchman because he alone, solely 
covered with visor, and armed with a rapier, had resisted 
an entire storming party, and lost his life in that act — 



90 The Sea Beggars. 

now dug the head of this great hero from among the debris, 
and nailed it to the gallows at 's Hertogenbosch. So far, 
then, had Spanish magnanimity deteriorated ! — even though 
they excused themselves by asserting that the prince's 
partisans were to be deemed a horde of rebels, and not as 
lawful enemies. Some of his companions that had been 
captured alive, were hanged at Antwerp, two of them being 
tortured to death." 

The Belgian historian Altmeyer thus describes the gallant 
defense of the doomed garrison of Loevestein : " As soon 
as Don Rodrigo De Toledo had learned from the magis- 
trates of Gorkum and from the president of the Court of 
Holland what had taken place, he wrote to the authorities at 
Gorkum and Woudrichem to urge them to do all that lay in 
their power against the invaders^ and to keep him informed 
of what was taking place. At the same time he promised 
them to do all that his duty required of him. But the mag- 
istrates of Woudrichem had already equipped ships, which 
cruised round Loevestein for the purpose of preventing 
anybody either from entering or quitting the place. The 
duke ordered them to do still more : to unite with the au- 
thorities of Gorkum, and to assist each other in capturing 
De Ruyter and his companions, and to punish them as an 
example to others. He also urged the people of Gorkum to 
imitate the example of the citizens of Woudrichem, and to 
equip vessels. 

" They were right in taking such prompt and forceful 
measures; for De Ruyter was a cunning and resolute man, 
who, as early as 1566, had played a role in his native place, 
and, a year later, had been delegated to Brederode, who, at 
the time, was at Antwerp. Banished on March 24th, 1568, 
he had kept up an incessant intercourse with Belgian and 
Holland exiles, who were as ardent in their patriotism as 



Under Their Second Admiral. 91 

they were prominent through the position they had occupied 
in their country. 

" Meanwhile Rodrigo De Toledo — who commanded eight 
companies of infantry, quartered at 's Hertogenbosch — having 
been informed by the drosts of Gorkum and of Woudri. 
chem of what had occurred, sent Captain Lorenzo Perea 
with fifty soldiers to reconnoiter the condition of the enemy, 
and the position of the castle. This force, by Alba's orders, 
was later augmented by sixty arquebusiers. Perea had re- 
ceived orders to subdue the place if he found an opportu- 
nity. He embarked his men upon two vessels. As soon as 
he was near enough — this happened at nightfall — he entered 
a boat and made a reconnoiter around the fortress. Perceiv- 
ing that the garrison was so careless that neither sentinel 
nor patrol guarded the walls, he fetched ladders from Wou- 
drichem, although the moat contained much water, as this 
castle was protected upon one side by walls, and upon the 
other by the river Waal. Within, it was divided into three 
parts, with two moats filled with water and provided with 
drawbridges, without counting three feet of soil around the 
walls of the first, and fifteen around those of the second, 
building. Perea posted the ladders with so much celerity, 
that his soldiers were already upon the walls before those on 
the inside had perceived them. [December 15th.] Seeing 
them, De Ruyter and his companions retreated, and the 
enemy attacked them with so much vigor that he took both 
buildings and forced the besieged to seek shelter in the 
castle tower, whose gate they closed that same night. 
Assisted by Gorkum's drost Turk, and a number of 
burghers, Perea, with a field-piece that he had received from 
Bommel, bombarded a peep-hole from which the besieged 
fired on his troops. After the Spanish artillery had made 
a breach large enough for a man to creep through, a cor- 



92 The Sea Beggars. 

poral, with a few soldiers, approached the gate, and engaged 
in a lengthy pike-battle with the besieged. Meantime an 
arquebusier had shot the sentinel that had been posted on a 
turret, and, without affording time to the besieged to perceive 
this, he had put up a ladder against the wall, mounted 
with twelve soldiers, and sounded the alarm in the rear of 
De Ruyter's force. This surprise weakened their defense 
at the gate. The Spanish soldiers, preceded by two 
sergeants, forced an entrance. One of the sergeants was 
fatally wounded by two shots from a falconet while the 
other was attempting to mow down the besieged. De Ruyter 
retreated to a room, and strewed the floor with gunpowder. 
In one hand he held two fuses, in the other a sword. With 
this he defended himself until he fell dangerously wounded. 
Then he applied the fuses to the powder. The soldiers 
that had killed him left the room, covered with burns. The 
castellane met them in the hall in high spirits, although she 
had been wounded in the arm by a bullet sent by the 
Spaniards as she was standing near a peep-hole, where they 
had mistaken her for a sentinel. 

" The battle had lasted from the 15 th to the 19th of 
December, when the fortress was taken by storm. On the 
1 6th, six partisans of De Ruyter endeavored to enter. But 
when they learned that the enemy had received reinforce- 
ments, they fled, and, pursued by the enemy, lost three of 
their party near Gorkum. On the 1 7th the Lord of Hard- 
inxveld had been killed by De Ruyter. 

" During this furious struggle the Council of Holland had 
neglected nothing to aid the Spaniards. They had written 
to Dordrecht, Delft, and Rotterdam asking to forward to 
the besiegers three or four barrels of gunpowder. At the 
same time they ordered the commanders of the castles at 
Muiden, Medenblik, and other strongholds, also the mag- 



Under Their Second Admiral. 93 

istrates of some cities, situated on the Maas and the Waal, 
to keep good watch, so as not to be surprised by the 
rebels. 

" This victory was complete ; and the Duke of Alba 
had become so much assured, that, when Turk, on Decem- 
ber 1 8th, asked him for a number of soldiers for the castle of 
Gorkum, he replied on the 27th with a refusal, saying : 
* Whereas the rabble in the castle of Loevestein has been 
either killed or captured, and the report of the danger had 
been greater than the reality, therefore it appeared to him 
that it was unnecessary to incur any expense by stationing 
more soldiers in the castle of Gorkum, and that, for the 
present, the ten recruited by Turk at his own expense were 
sufficient.' 

" Ten of De Ruyter's companions had been killed, and 
their corpses suspended from trees standing near the 
castle. The prisoners had been taken to Antwerp, where 
they had been either hanged or quartered. De Ruyter's 
head, blackened by gunpowder, was nailed to a gallows and 
exhibited upon the market-square at 's Hertogenbosch. He 
had defended himself with lion-hearted courage, after having 
executed this bold surprise, in hopes of being supported by 
Van den Berg's forces. But rain and snow had interfered 
with their marching, and they could not prevent the recap- 
ture of Loevenstein. However, they succeeded in capturing 
Berg and Ulft, two strongholds in the county of Sutphen, 
without being able, however, to hold them. 

" It was not alone De Ruyter's intention to capture the 
castle of Loevenstein, — famous in later years through the ' 
captivity of De Groot, [Hugo Grotius] — but he also purposed 
to conquer Gorkum and iVoudrichem, the latter place be- 
longing to the Count of Homes." 

Lumbres himself did not often accompany his fleet ; he 



94 The Sea Beggars. 

was not a sailor, nor did he appear to feel much inclina- 
tion for the occupation of a privateersman. He therefore 
generally remained on shore near the prince's brother, Count 
Louis of Nassau. After the peace of St. Germain, he was 
continually with him planning some attempt in favor of his 
country's freedom. 

The Sea Beggars, meanwhile, received ever more addi- 
tions to their forces, and in the spring of 157 1 had a fleet 
consisting of a hundred vessels, large and small, probably 
manned by three or four thousand of as bold and enterpris- 
ing a crew of freebooters as ever rendered any sea unsafe. 
About fifty of the ships usually had their trysting place in the 
English Channel, and near the Downs, whence they went in 
search of any Spanish vessels navigating the ocean. Others 
hovered between Dover and Calais, lying in wait for any of 
the enemy's ships going to or coming from Netherland 
ports, and patroling the German Ocean as far northward as 
the coasts of Norway. 

It was again rumored that these Beggars planned a sud- 
den attack upon the province of Zeeland, not merely for 
purposes of plunder, but with the intention of conquering 
and holding it for the prince. The Duke of Alba, fright- 
ened by these reports, and rendered cautious by the Beggars' 
petty successes at sea, hastened to increase the garrisons of 
Flushing, Veer, Zierikzee, and the Island of Schouwen. He 
even resolved to station 250 soldiers at Briel and other small 
towns, which garrisons, in case of an emergency, could be 
concentrated and directed against any threatened position. 
However, the duke soon regained his composure upon being 
informed that the Beggar Fleet, now cruising bet ween, Dover 
and Calais, consisted of only three large ships and eighteen 
small ones, poorly equipped and poorly manned. The tem- 
porary garrisons, therefore, were mostly withdrawn, and the 



Under Their Second Admiral. 95 

soldiers returned to their ordinary encampments, greatly to 
the relief and joy of residents of places where they had been 
quartered. 

Still, Zeeland's stadholder — though having no more fear of 
a direct and immediate attack upon his province — advised 
the duke to destroy, at any price, the Beggars near Dover, he 
believing that a squadron of six warships at most would soon 
be able to gain an easy victory over the undisciplined 
pirates. He also thought that it would be an easy matter to 
rout a horde of pirates whose courage manifested itself 
only by plundering merchant ships and fishermen, and 
whose single ability consisted in emptying goblets of wine 
and carousing away the proceeds of their plunder. Bossu 
concurred with Wacken, and was also of opinion that half 
a dozen well-equipped and sufficiently-manned men-of-war 
could easily destroy a number of boats manned by undisci- 
plined crews, and largely officered by nobles that had never 
passed an apprenticeship at sea, and that knew nothing 
about naval tactics. Alba, however, was not yet inclined to 
go to the expense of equipping a fleet for distant sea-service ; 
and when rumors again began to fly that the Sea Beggars 
intended to surprise the Island of Schouwen, the duke wanted 
merely to increase the Spanish garrison of Zieriksee, the 
capital city of the island. The burghers of Zieriksee, how- 
ever, refused to provide for the Spanish soldiers. Many 
hundreds of the city's inhabitants had — owing to the partial 
stoppage of the fisheries and the resultant damage caused 
to the city's commerce — been obliged to quit the town. The 
Spanish soldiers had at other times shown themselves so 
untractable in regard to food and shelter, furniture, and 
other necessaries, that burghers and soldiers had drawn 
swords against each other. It was even then feared and 
rumored that the dyke-workers would stop all work on the 



96 The Sea Beggars. 

dykes, thus abandoning the fertile island to the waves if 
the Spanish garrisons were not withdrawn. 

That the Spanish authorities had good reason to be on 
their guard against surprises by the Sea Beggars, and 
against the activity of the leaders of the revolt, is plain from 
a letter of the prince, in the beginning of this year 1571, in 
which he wrote to Dr. Basius " that for very important 
reasons it was deemed necessary to employ all means to ob- 
tain possession of some harbor ; that he was still of the 
opinion that the attempt against Enkhuizen and Hoorn 
should be tried as soon as the ice were gone. Further, that 
all other enterprises were now to be suspended, in hopes 
that the attempt against Hoorn and Enkhuizen would 
succeed." 

But failures of the past had greatly discouraged the friends 
of liberty and progress, while the Sea Beggars themselves, 
though nominally acknowledging the authority of William 
the Silent and his admiral — De Lumbres — really followed 
their own free will, saiHng wherever they listed. Only once 
in a great while could a part of them be assembled for some 
concerted act. They had not only to provide their own liv- 
ing, but were even required to contribute a large part of their 
spoils toward the general expenses of the war ; hence, under 
these circumstances, they could assist at an expedition only 
after they had amassed enough booty to be able to live for 
some time upon the proceeds of their loot, and were ever 
obliged to return to privateering as soon as the proceeds of 
their plunder had been spent. This also explains why on 
one day there were scores of Beggar ships together, while 
one or two days later all had dispersed. 

This contest was really a naval guerilla-war, where all 
partisans were actuated by the same leading ideas : revenge 
upon the enemy ; freedom for the country. But nearly every 



Under Their Second Admiral. 97 

chief acted for himself, and all were handicapped by the 
necessity of providing for themselves, and for obtaining the 
means with which to support their men. Circumstances 
also rendered it even more imperative for the success of the 
cause to obtain some secure footing in the fatherland. 
Count Edzard of East Friesland, afraid of the threats of 
Alba and the menaces of the Emperor, did not dare longer 
openly to extend to the Sea Beggars the hospitality of his 
ports of Emden and Norden. Indeed, more than once he 
and his drosts had been obliged to take sharp measures 
against the Sea Beggars. He feared to lose his principality, 
especially as Philip of Spain had instructed his jurists in the 
Netherlands to investigate whether he did not also possess 
legal claims upon that refuge of his exiled Netherland sub- 
jects. On this account, therefore, the Sea Beggars, more ] 
than before, were compelled to go elsewhere. Bremen and 
Hamburg, though most favorable to their cause, were too far 
removed to be of much use ; hence, the Beggars naturally 
selected the English harbors of Dover and the Downs ; 
while in France they were always sure of a hearty reception 1 
by their friends at La Rochelle. 

Those well-known Sea Beggar chiefs, Foeke Abels, Dirk , 
Duivel, Jan Klaasz Spiegel, Dirk Geerlofsz PvOobol, Nicolaes 
Ruychaver, Egbert and Jurrien Wybrants had equipped their 
vessels with the friendly assistance of the citizens of La 
Rochelle. Some of them again returned to the Netherland 
waters and the North Sea, and captured several Spanish 
merchantmen. Bossu then hastened to equip an expedition 
against them under the command of his vice-admiral, 
Boshuizen. Boshuizen, as will be told hereafter, routed them, 
and in the months of August and September, 1571, pursued 
some of the Beggar ships even as far as the port of Dover. 
This provoked the commander of the citadel to fire upon the 
7 



98 The Sea Beggars. 

Spanish vessels, which probably saved those Beggars from 
capture or annihilation. 

In April of the same year the Spanish authorities had ex- 
pected a landing to be made at Briel, on the Island of Voorne, 
and one on Walcheren. The civil guard of Middelburg 
was constantly kept under arms, the cannon on the walls put in 
position, and Alba received appeals for reinforcements. A 
few yachts were equipped for scouting purposes, because it 
was believed that half a hundred Beggar ships, reported to 
be congregating upon the south coast of England, intended 
landing on the Island of Walcheren. The stadholder of 
Holland, after many futile requests, was therefore ordered to 
go in search of them. Owing to the strained relations, 
however, existing at that time between England and Spain, 
and to the English distrust of Alba, the English feared that 
the Spanish armament in North Holland against the Sea 
Beggars was in reality directed against England, therefore 
the government of Queen Elizabeth took measures at once. 
The redoubtable naval preparations of Alba and his officials, 
as well as the augmenting of the garrisons, previously men- 
tioned, prevented the Sea Beggars — supposing they really 
had the intention — from undertaking anything against •' the 
paradise of Zeeland," or even against Briel, where measures 
had also been taken to receive properly the expected 
invaders. Accident, not design, was destined to shape the 
first successful blow for the liberation of the country. 

The possession of the Island of Ameland was deemed too 
valuable by the Frisian Sea Beggars to permit the Spaniards 
undisputed occupation of it. Emden and Norden, however 
desirable as harbors of refuge and marts for spoils, were too 
uncertain, owing to the varying moods of Count Edzard. 
That he was favorable to them, assisting them as much as 
he dared, was well known among the Beggars. But his fear 



Under Their Second Admiral. 99 

of the powerful enemies of the Xetherland freebooters, often 
coupled with their own imprudence and law^less acts, caused 
him to take measures at times that were likely to scare them 
away, rather than attract them to his ports. This also ex- 
plains their constant efforts to regain and to retain the com- 
paratively unimponant Island of Ameland, especially at a 
time of the year when ice and storms rendered permanent 
and safe retreat absolutely necessary. 

After being forced to abandon the island in the latter 
part of Januar}-, 15 71. the Sea Beggars again equipped an 
expedition at Xorden. and on Februar}- i8th Barthold Entens 
Van Mentheda, Claes Ruychaver. and Ellert Vlierhop, with 
three ships and about a hundred and fift}^ men, set sail for 
Ameland. On Tuesday, Februar}' 20th, they arrived in the 
Vlie, and lay at anchor during two days ; then plundered a few 
merchantmen, and went " ever}- time on land with seventy 
or eight}- men, causing more damage upon the land than 
they had ever caused before." After the capture of a few 
more merchantmen, they proceeded to Ameland, where they 
arrived on the 22d of the same month. Here they landed 
one hundred and twent}* men, and with flying standards they 
marched against the castle of the exiled noble Pieter Van 
Cammingha, now occupied by a Spanish garrison. The Sea 
Beggars demanded its surrender in the name of the prince ; 
and, at the refusal of its commander, they immediately 
stormed the stronghold. Repulsed, they retreated to the 
village of Ballum, near by, where they had a few hours* rest. 
Toward evening they marched upon Hollum, the southern- 
most \-illage on the island. Here they encamped for the 
night. Many of their number passed the time drinking 
and carousing, until, at ten o'clock the following morning, 
Februar}'^ 23d, the Spanish troops coming unexpectedly upon 
them, a great part of the Sea Beggars were too much stupe- 



100 The Sea BeQ"2[ars 



&t>' 



fied to be capable of resistance : a large number were killed 
on the spot. Others were drowned in their efforts to swim 
to the ships. A few were taken prisoners, among them the 
' sixteen-year-old Sea Beggar Ulrich Poppes of Norden. 
But few made their escape. Among the slain were Entens' 
lieutenant, Wibo Tjarrels of Bolsward, and Pibo Harda, an 
expatriated Frisian nobleman. In 1568, Harda. one of the 
signers of the " Covenant of the Nobles," had been banished 
by Alba's Council of Blood, and his possessions confiscated. 
j He had also been obliged to leave wife and children bereft 
; of everything, — now wandering along the country roads, suf- 
fering the pangs of direst poverty. On March 17th, 1567, in 
company with Sjoert Van Beyma and a number of other 
nobles, mostly Frisian, Harda had forcibly entered the room of 
Jacob De la Torre at Amsterdam, secretar}^ of the secret coun- 
cil at Brussels. He had been sent by the Regent Margaret 
to Amsterdam, to adjust matters there. Expecting to glean 
important State-secrets from the secretary's papers, the nobles 
took them from De la Torre, threatened to kill him, and 
kept him a prisoner all night. After Brederode's expulsion 
from Amsterdam, Harda went to East Friesland, enlisted 
subsequently in Count Louis' army, and, as a captain, had 
share in the victory of Heiligerlee. He, however, suffered 
defeat at Jemmingen, and was among the few that escaped 
the slaughter, and joined the forces of the Sea Beggars. 
Tired of his exile, and averse to the rough life of the Sea 
Beggars, Harda joined them in this expedition only with the 
purpose to assist in the capture of Ameland, and from there 
to have a distant view of the dyke-girt coasts of the beloved 
country, the soil of which he was not permitted to touch, 
containing as it did everything he held most precious in life. 
Poor young Ulrich Poppes, under threats of death, was 
forced by the Spaniards to nail the heads of Harda and 



i 



Under Their Second Admiral. loi 

two of his dead companions to the gallows, and was also 
obliged to act as executioner of a captured Englishman that 
had served under Entens. 

In December, 1570, the prince sent the celebrated poet and 
philosopher. Dirk Volkerts Coornhert, to Emden, to try to in- 
fluence Count Edzard of East Friesland to rescind his order 
for the confiscation of the property of some Sea Beggars ; 
also to extend further hospitality to them. After much hesita- 
tion the count consented, but the intrigues of the enemy soon 
caused Edzard to change his course again. In the spring of 
157 1 he ordered the imprisonment of Yonker Willem Van 
Blois Van Treslong, one of the most eminent Sea Beggars, a 
prominent member of the Netherland nobility, and a lineal de- 
scendant of the ancient counts of Blois in France. While 
Treslong's lieutenant, Roobol, was busy at Emden super- 
intending the equipment of two vessels for the service of 
the Sea Beggars, he also was imprisoned upon being accused 
of lawless conduct. After fourteen weeks of incarcera- 
tion Treslong was discharged under bail, on condition of 
not leaving Emden till he had been cleared before the court. 
After waiting more than three months for his trial to begin, 
and tired of a life of inactivity, he boarded one of the Beg- 
gar ships lying at Emden. He directed a letter to Count 
Edzard, in which he notified him that he would present him- 
self as soon as summoned to appear before the court. He 
thereupon sailed away, joined other Beggars, and a few 
months later was the prime mover in the successful assault 
upon Brielle, which resulted in the subsequent liberation of 
the country. 

In the month of February, 157 1, however, some time be- 
fore Treslong's imprisonment, nineteen Sea-Beggar chiefs 
had been permitted to equip their ships at Emden and Nor- 
den, which showed conclusively that the Count of East 



102 The Sea Beggars. 

Friesland was actually favorable to the cause of Netherland 
liberty, his opposition to the Sea Beggars having obviously 
been actuated only by fear of their powerful enemies. 

To be prepared against an attack by the Sea Beggars 
upon Delfsyl, Robles had repaired its defenses, — much dam- 
aged by the great inundation of All Saints' Eve — that ter- 
rible night of October 31st, 1570. For this work he im- 
pressed the Groningen farmers, who nearly all were favor- 
able to the independence of their country. 

To dislodge the Sea Beggars from their East Friesland 
trysting-places, Robles also remonstrated, in the name of 
his chief, with Count Edzard. The latter, on March 6th, 
1 57 1, not only prohibited the Netherland privateers from 
entering or staying in his harbors, but he even equipped 
vessels against them, which, strange to say, always failed to 
find the Beggar ships. Once in a while his captains had 
succeeded in capturing and hanging a few so-called Beggars, 
but they had always been individuals that had committed 
actual crimes against the law, so they were executed under 
the convenient appellation " Sea Beggars." This satisfied 
their enemies, and, on the other hand, caused the Beggars 
no great harm. When, however, upon Alba's remonstrance 
with the German Emperor, the Westphalian circle interfered, 
it ordered Edzard absolutely to rid the Ems of freebooters, 
and to refuse positively any further assistance or hospitality 
to them. Entens and the few of his associates in arms, who 
had covertly been permitted to stay, were obliged to depart 
for a time, and seek quarters elsewhere. 

If the Sea Beggars were thus harassed in foreign coun- 
tries, they were fairly successful in their fatherland, so far as 
obtaining plunder is concerned. Their principal points of 
attack were Friesland and North Holland. These they in- 
vaded from the Zuiderzee, the Wadden, and the Vlie, where 



Under Their Second Admiral. 103 

they had again taken up their abode. In the beginning of 
March, 157 1, they captured thirty-one merchantmen in the 
Vlie, and again showed their lawless disposition by subject- 
ing to ransom eight vessels provided with safe conducts, 
granted to them by Count Louis of Nassau. On March 1 2th. 
they followed up their recent success at sea by effecting a 
landing near the city of Monnickendam, upon the coast of 
the Zuiderzee, and opposite the Island of Marken. About 
ten o'clock at night two of the Beggars knocked at the North 
gate, saying they were well-known burghers of the town, 
whom an accident had caused to detain, and who now re- 
quested to be admitted. The wife of the gate-keeper opened 
the gate ; and hardly had she done so when three hundred 
well-armed Sea Beggars suddenly entered the city, occupied' 
the North gate, the city hall, and the principal inns ; sta- 
tioned a guard at the town-bell to prevent any one from 
alarming the surrounding country, took possession of the 
streets, removed the prison-keys from the turnkey, liberated 
five of their friends, plundered the house of the bailiff of 
Waterland, and looted the residence of every prominent par- 
tisan of Spain. To prevent the people from pursuing them 
the Beggars also set fire to different parts of the town, cap- 
tured a few rich residents, for the purpose of exacting a 
ransom and as hostages, and, by the merry sound of drum 
and flute, returned to their vessels. The city of Medenblik 
was kept in constant fear, and several villages in its neigh- 
borhood agreed to pay them regular monthly contributions. 
This was undoubtedly the expedition referred to by Dr. 
Velius in his chronicles of Hoorn, in which he mentions the 
following : " 1571. Commencement of March. The Sea 
Beggars arrived before Texel with three great warships and 
twenty-three yachts, and took a large fleet of vessels, to the 
number of thirty-one, ransoming them for much money. 



104 The Sea Beggars. 

Among them were eight ships, having ' passports' of Count 
Louis ; but, nevertheless, they were not exempted. The 
sword of hunger was sharp. A few days later they arrived 
at night-time before Monikendam, plundered a number of 
dwellings, and carried off some rich burghers, whom they 
subsequently set free, after payment of a large ransom. 
They did the same in the village of Schellingwoude in 
Waterland. They also appeared before Medenblik, and on 
the Noorderdyk, and caused so much fear among the people 
that several villages entered into a secret agreement with 
them, and paid them a monthly contribution. Our magis- 
trates kept close watch day and night." 

If the Sea Beggars — outlawed exiles — were thus instru- 
mental in causing damage to their countrymen, the Spanish 
soldiers, paid instruments of the royal power, were not less 
so. One instance of their misconduct will be sufficient. On 
March 2 2d, 157 1, the local priest of Grave, an ardent partisan 
of Spain, used very plain language to Alba, regarding the 
conduct of the Spanish garrison stationed in the castle 
there, when he said that they " consumed the flesh and 
blood of the poor, the widows, and the orphans. The 
burghers of Grave — pious, simple, and honest people — had 
been brought to the verge of desperation. The soldiers, 
dissatisfied with the country, threw themselves upon the 
good as well as the bad, plundering the churches, and, like 
devils incarnate, respecting things neither sacred nor pro- 
fane." 

On March 25th the Sea Beggars left the coast of North 
Holland and attacked the Island of Texel. They burnt the 
dwelling of Boshuizen, — Alba's vice-admiral, who was also 
schout of the island, — the castle, three more large houses, 
and a monastery ; captured a number of barges, and rested 
from their labors only after the church bell had long before 



Under Their Second Admiral. 105 

struck the hour of midnight. On the 27th they declared » 
themselves satisfied, after having extorted the payment of 
a heavy contribution, to buy off " what they might yet in- 
tend to do." Two days later, on March 29th, seven hun- 
dred of their number suddenly invaded the village of Petten, 
partly sacking it, and desisting only after having been paid a 
large amount of money. Thus they treated several prosper- 
ous villages near the sea-shore, the authorities absolutely 
powerless to resist ; while the people were either favorably 
disposed toward them or else too much afraid to offer resist- 
ance. Their boldness and the success of their raids soon 
began to fill the people of The Hague with fears of a Beg- 
gar assembly, which induced some of them to leave that 
city for more interior towns. 

It has already been remarked that Lumbres, the admiral 
of the Sea Beggars, generally passed his time on shore, 
planning with Count Louis and his French friends of La 
Rochelle for the liberation of the oppressed Netherland 
provinces, and for the humiliation of Spain. His ships, mean- 
while, continued to render the waters of France, England, 
the Netherlands, and Spain itself unsafe for any Spanish 
craft. They ventured even far into the ocean in quest of 
booty. In April, 157 1, the admiral himself conducted a 
squadron of five Beggar ships from Plymouth to La Ro- 
chelle. Two months later he was at Paris ; he thought he 
could be of greater service there to the cause of his country 
than by nominally commanding a fleet of undisciplined priva- 
teers. Brederode, his lieutenant, anchored during the same 
month with a fleet of twenty-two vessels before Dover. Here 
Hembyze, a prominent Beggar-captain and nobleman of 
Ghent, was temporarily imprisoned. Before long almost the 
entire Beggar Fleet — about a hundred sails strong — congre- 
gated in the English Channel, where they disposed of their 



io6 The Sea Beggars. 

booty in the Cinque Ports, upon the Isle of Wight, and in 
other harbors, to the utmost chagrin of the Spanish ambas- 
sador, De Spes, but to the great advantage of the inhabit- 
ants of those harbors. On this account the Enghsh gov- 
ernment, notwithstanding its many decrees and prohibitions 
against them, covertly continued to favor the freebooters and 
to admit them to its harbors, although it strongly prohibited 
English sailors from enlisting on their fleet. 

The Frisian Beggars, also, seldom straying far, continued 
most active. After being driven away from the Island of 
Ameland, they resolved to pay a visit to the northern griet- 
enyen — districts — of Friesland, there to seek revenge for 
their last defeat. During the night of April 13th a 
division of their forces, seventy or eighty strong, set foot 
in East-Dongeradeel, where they immediately began their 
customary tactics. They had already plundered and des- 
troyed a large amount of property when they were suddenly 
confronted by such an overpowering body of assailants, that 
they were forced to beat a hasty retreat. The grietman 
— head of the district — Doede Van Syrxma, the energetic 
successor of the unfortunate Rintze Van Aytta, who resided 
at Metslawier, had speedily been informed of the arrival of 
the marauders, and without delay had sounded the alarm. 
The country people and the inhabitants of the neighboring 
villages, understanding the significance of the alarm, forth- 
with armed themselves, and under the command of their 
vigorous grietman, united against the Sea Beggars. The 
latter, too few in numbers, and encumbered with their 
booty, deemed it wiser to attempt no resistance ; they re- 
treated precipitately to their ships. But they were not the 
men to be easily balked in their purpose, and their necessity 
doubtless forced them to a repetition of their interrupted 
" shore walk." The following night they landed on the 



Under Their Second Admiral. 107 

dykes of Ferwerderadeel, in the jurisdiction of the grietman 
Pelgrom Ten Indyck, a most obnoxious partisan of Spanish 
tyranny. The secretary of the grieteny, Foppe Gabbes, 
then wrote the subjoined account of the night-visit to the 
President and Royal Council of Friesland : 

" Honorable, wise, prudent, and highly-learned Sirs : 

" I, the undersigned, humbly commending myself to your 
good graces, have, by the present (may God preserve us) 
to inform you, my Lords, that last night there arrived within 
Ferwerderadeel a number of sea-rovers, or pirates, who 
robbed the church at Ferwerd of silver and gold, demolished 
and tore the furniture in the grietman's house, causing much 
damage to furniture, clothing and jewelry — which they 
took with them. They also captured, bound, and took with 
them our judge Sjordt Rytskes. My wife and I escaped, 
but with the loss of everything. According to one Thys 
Sipkes, who — as he says — counted them when they were 
returning along the sea-dyke, the number of the pirates 
amounted to one hundred and nine. It happened 'after two. 
o'clock, and when the guard was being relieved. ' 

" With this I commend you to the Lord. 

" Written at Ferwerd, the 15th day of April, Anno 1571, 
by your obedient 

F. Gabbes." 

This report had been written in obedience to an order, 
dated April 17th, 1570, issued by the stadholder of Fries- 
land, the Count of Megen, in which he said : " Every time 
that any violence takes place in your jurisdiction you will 
immediately send a correct, pertinent specification of the 
history of the deed ; " to which he added the threat : '' We 
intend properly to punish and correct you as the occasion 
may require," if the magistrates should be negligent in re- 



io8 The Sea Beggars. 

porting similar matters, and if the stadholder should hear of 
the case ''through the information of strangers." 

De Robles had better success. His soldiers routed a 
number of Frisian Sea Beggars, whom the soldiers surprised 
while the freebooters were at work on the Island of Borkum, 
one of their lurking-places in the mouth of the Ems. 
Away from the island they were driven, after having lost 
several prisoners. 

At last the Spanish governor-general perceived the neces- 
sity of taking decisive action against the Beggar Fleet, con- 
gregating in English waters, no matter what the English 
government might think of it. On May 23d the duke 
wrote Bossu, and directed him to proceed to the English 
coast, there to chase away or to destroy these persistent 
enemies. Indeed, on the 21st a strong squadron had sailed 
from the port of Amsterdam, to free the Zeeland waters 
from the dread presence of the freebooters. On the 25th 
two insignificant encounters took place near Briel and 
Zierikzee, in which the Sea Beggars gained some slight ad- 
vantage. On June ist the Sea Beggars stationed on the 
English coast attacked twenty-eight ships, loaded chiefly 
with salt for Holland. This resulted in a heated battle, 
many on both sides being wounded. 

About this time a project was reported to be on foot, the 
knowledge of it probably having prompted Alba's order 
to Bossu to seek the Beggar Fleet in the English Channel 
and on the English coast. It was rumored that those of 
La Rochelle had leagued themselves with the Sea Beggars to 
carry the war into Spain, and from there to cross the ocean, 
conquer the Island of San Domingo, and cause as much 
damage as possible to the Spanish dominions and Spanish 
commerce in the New World. Philip of Spain was informed 
of the preparations for the undertaking by one of his secret 



Under Their Second Admiral. 109 

agents, several of whom he maintained in France, as well 
as everywhere else where Spanish interests seemed to render 
their presence desirable. Accordingly, on June 4th, 
157 1, a powerful squadron sailed from La Rochelle ostensibly 
for Spain, where, it was said, its assistance was eagerly 
waited for by more than twenty-five thousand Spaniards, — 
possibly in Catalonia and Barcelona, — who were as desirous 
of freedom and a more liberal system of government as 
were their fellow-subjects in the Netherlands. The project, 
however, was not carried out ; nevertheless, Philip had been 
awakened, and the subsequent augmenting and better 
equipping of the Spanish navy, as well as more rigorous 
measures against the Sea Beggars by the Spanish governor- 
general in the Netherlands, may have resulted from this 
reported venture. 

On June i8th Alba received information that sixteen of 
the Sea Beggars' ships had set sail for Emden, to sell their 
booty there. He immediately ordered Bossu to follow ; but 
Bossu's wife having died recently, the command of the fleet 
devolved upon Vice- Admiral Boshuizen, who had a personal 
grudge against the Sea Beggars, as they had plundered and 
burnt his house on the Island of Texel in the spring of 
this year 157 1. 

His squadron was to be sixteen ships strong. But five of 
them not being ready, he was obliged to go to sea with 
eleven vessels only ; more than sufficient, however, to 
defeat the inadequately-equipped ships of the Sea Beg- 
gars. On June 23d, at three o'clock in the afternoon, 
Boshuizen sighted the enemy, who had cast anchor in the 
mouth of the Ems. The Sea Beggars resolved to accept 
battle, and soon the two fleets were engaged. 

Unfortunately for the Sea Beggars, Robles, upon Alba's 
orders, had despatched four caravels, manned with two 



no The Sea Beggars. 

hundred musketeers, to the assistance of the royal fleet. 
After their third discharge, the Sea Beggars, unable to stand 
the murderous fire, sought safety in flight. Boshuizen 
pursued them and took eight of their ships ; Robles took 
another, armed with four pieces. Four escaped into the sea, 
the few remaining ones seeking safety between the foreign 
ships in the harbor of Emden. The number of Sea Beggars 
killed in the fight was considerable, many others also being 
drowned in their efforts to save themselves by swimming to 
the shore or to other ships ; while twelve prisoners on Bos- 
huizen's fleet awaited the pleasure of Alba. On June 30th 
he ordered his admiral to hang without exception all the pris- 
oners to the yard-arm of his ship, in full sight of the city 
of Emden, but first to torture the principal ones, and to send 
him the confessions that the pain should force from the 
victims. 

The sentence was executed, but the outrage so enraged 
the burghers of Emden that they hastened to the dyke, fully 
armed, and encouraged one another to consider Boshuizen's 
people as common enemies, and to kill them should they 
approach in boats or come on shore. Count Edzard vainly 
protested against this violation of his territory. Boshuizen 
answered the count that, if it displeased him, he was at lib- 
erty to complain about it to the Duke of Alba. The victo- 
rious Boshuizen thereupon returned to the Zuiderzee, divided 
his booty at Enkhuizen, and now began a cruise on the 
North Sea in search of the rest of the Beggar Fleet. He 
found them, seventeen ships strong, under cover of Dover 
Castle. He dispersed their forces, and was prevented from 
annihilating them only by the active intervention of the 
English commander of the fort. Thereupon he went to 
Zeeland, whose waters he also cleared of the presence of the 
Netherland freebooters. 



Under Their Second Admiral, iii 

Several historians, when relating these and other defeats 
of the Sea Beggars, dilate on what Spain could have done 
had it been in real earnest about destroying them. But 
these historians seem to forget that the Sea Beggars were 
only privateers, their object the taking of merchantmen, the 
gaining of a living by plunder ; not fighting against navies. 
They were an undisciplined, and, to a certain extent, a law- 
less body of privateers, more inclined to run away than to 
gain a bootless victory. Had the Spaniards been at first 
continually victorious in their encounters with the Sea Beg- 
gars, and rendered their existence more precarious than 
now, it, is more than probable that necessity would have 
forced them to become better organized and disciplined. 
They would have become soldiers as well as freebooters. 
Also, as long as there was an enemy to fight, they would 
have held close together, instead of continually separating 
and dividing their forces. Instead of spending their uncer- 
tain plunder in wild orgies, they would have procured better 
equipped and more-adequately armed vessels, able to cope 
with the strongest of warships as well as to chase and attack 
feeble merchantmen. Freebooters not from choice, but 
from necessity, they were, first of all, exiled patriots. An 
alien oppressoi had driven them away from their country, 
and had rendered it impossible for them to stay in it. 
Many influential and able men, now aloof from them, would 
have joined their ranks, and the Sea Beggars would have 
received that pecuniary assistance that the people and the 
exiles were ever ready to extend toward any promising pro- 
ject. Strong indeed must have been the fleet that could 
have destroyed their organization, and on an element where 
the Netherlanders were more at home than their Spanish 
oppressors. Their vessels were now, as a rule, small, often 
badly manned and badly provided. One of their best and 



112 The Sea Beggars. 

largest ships, " De Klok," which had been added to the 
Beggar Fleet by the desertion of her commander and crew, 
measured only two hundred and thirty tons. An eye-wit- 
ness, during his captivity in East Friesland in 1570, de- 
clared that the largest Beggar ship he saw there did not ex- 
ceed one hundred and twenty tons. Blois Van Treslong, in 
1 57 1, had bought for six thousand guilders a fully-equipped 
ship of a hundred and eighty tons burden, armed with six- 
teen " gotelingen," or small pieces of artillery. What the 
Sea Beggars were capable of, they demonstrated two and 
three years later, when, under efficient leadership, and with 
better discipline and organization, they defeated Spanish 
armadas far superior to theirs in number and in size of 
ships, armament, and crews. They could have done the 
same, and would have done so now, had the enemy left 
them no rest, as it would have become absolutely neces- 
sary for them to unite their forces, and submit absolutely 
to authority for purposes of defense, and possibly for con- 
quest. 

After every defeat the Sea Beggars, not at all discour- 
aged, unitedly or separately resumed their work, and soon 
became as much feared as before. Alba himself, notwith- 
standing their crushing defeat on June 23d, now believed so 
little in their suppression that, even after the news of their 
defeat had reached him, he still augmented the garrison of 
Flushing with three companies of Walloon soldiers, fearing 
an attack upon that city by his most irrepressible and re- 
lentless of opponents. 

Soon after their last defeat the Sea Beggars took four 
richly-laden Hamburg merchantmen, whose commander was 
choked to death by order of De Lumbres, possibly out of 
revenge for the share that he had had in Broeck's execu- 
tion in that city. He thereupon took his prizes to Emden, 



Under Their Second Admiral. 113 

where he disposed of them. Similar lawless acts were not 
likely to cement the friendship between the Beggars and the 
people of Hamburg. That the Hamburgers, however, did 
not confound the cause with the perpetration of the above 
outrage, is plain from a letter written by Viglius Van Aytta. 
He said in it that the German people along the sea-coast 
continued to make common cause with the freebooters, and 
would advance no money to be expended in fighting them. 
Count Adolph of Holstein testified to the same effect in a 
letter written by him on August i8th, 1572, in which he said : 
'' Den in den stetten Hamburgh und Bremen die Kaufflleute 
und der gemeine man den rebellen dermassen zugethan das 
sie wieder dieselbige so hoch und guet sie auch versichert 
werden miigen kein geldt ausleihen wollen." (For in the 
cities of Hamburg and Bremen the merchants and the com- 
mon people are so much in favor of the rebels that, however 
good the security offered, they will not lend money to be 
used against them.) 

In the beginning of July, 157 1, during Treslong's cap- 
tivity, and while the Sea Beggars were in disgrace in East 
Friesland, Count Lumey — a cousin of Hendrik Van Brede- 
rode — visited the city of Emden. Lumey was a prominent 
Sea Beggar, under whose leadership, a few months later, the 
corner-stone of Netherland liberty was laid. Upon his visit 
to Emden, Lumey was attended by a body-guard of Walloon 
and Flemish soldiers. Count Edzard, not at all pleased 
with the notoriety that would surely follow this ostentatious 
visit to his city, was afraid to allow this prominent rebel 
chief to stay. He therefore ordered Count Lumey to leave 
the inn, " De Drie Vergulde Haringen," where he had taken 
up his abode, and to find another retreat. The count and 
his body-guard then left for Hamburg, where the city au- 
thorities permitted him to equip two ships and to enlist two 
8 



114 The Sea Beggars. 

hundred men. With these valuable additions to the forces 
of the Sea Beggars Lumey went to sea, inflicted great dam- 
age upon Spanish commerce, and two months later joined 
the Beggar Fleet in the English Channel. 

The Imperial Council at Spires, on December 25th, 1570, 
had adopted resolutions in regard to the Sea Beggars. This 
greatly pleased Philip's governor-general in the Netherlands, 
as he thought those edicts would forever deter their German 
sympathizers from giving them aid. The resolutions were 
sweeping, and declared that a stop should be put to the de- 
predations of the freebooters, and that the emperor should be 
requested to appeal to Queen Elizabeth and other potentates, 
and that the Burgundian, Westphalian, and Nether-Saxony 
circles of the empire should convene a congress for the pur- 
pose of devising means to prevent the freebooters from con- 
gregating in German waters. After many preliminary con- 
ferences and resolutions, and constant protests of Alba to 
the emperor to respect Germany's obligations as a neutral 
state, the deputies of two circles met at the city of Groningen, 
to devise ways and means to suppress the Sea Beggars. 
But the third of the circles refused to send delegates ; it was 
averse to taking measures against its own kinsmen in favor 
of Spanish domination in a Germanic country. On August 
1 6th, 157 1, it was resolved by the delegates of the two circles 
to equip a fleet, and appoint an admiral for the purpose of 
clearing the coasts and waters of Germany from the presence 
of the Sea Beggars. 

On September 9th of the same year Alba requested the 
emperor to declare null and void all commissions ever made 
out by William the Silent, and to prohibit him issuing any 
more. Also to order the Counts of East Friesland not to 
admit any more Sea Beggars into their states and waters, 
and to order the reluctant circle, as soon as possible, to 



Under Their Second Admiral. 115 

contribute its contingent of ships for the fleet about to be 
equipped against the Sea Beggars. 

The deputies, assembled at Groningen, resolved to leave 
to the emperor the appointment of the admiral; he was to be 
a German prince, whose territory bounded on the North Sea 
or on the Baltic. Alba recommended Count Adolph of 
Holstein to the emperor, and desired his own stadholder of 
Holland, Bossu, as vice-admiral. He also informed the 
emperor that his contingent of thirteen vessels was ready. 
The seven ships to be furnished — according to the resolu- 
tions adopted at Groningen by the maritime cities of both 
of the other circles — were to have a vice-admiral of their 
own. Count Bossu was to be in partial command only, in 
case the fleets should unite for concerted action against the 
Sea Beggars. 

It was further resolved between the emperor and Alba, 
to have the Archbishop of Bremen, the Bishop of Munster, 
and the Duke of Gulick send councilors to investigate the 
complaints of the Spanish governor-general against the Sea 
Beggars. On August 20th, 157 1, the investigation was to 
begin. Alba's deputies were attended by a large number of 
loyal Frisians, and accompanied by several captured Sea 
Beggars, whom Alba had most graciously permitted to live 
for this purpose. The councilors of the bishops, however, 
were no more inclined to be used as tools in favor of Span- 
ish domination in the Netherlands than were those of the 
Duke of Gulick. They positively refused therefore to inves- 
tigate, and, without reaching any decision, they separated. 
Alba, nothing daunted, on September 2d, 1571, importuned 
the emperor to convoke another court of investigation to 
begin immediate action, and to advise measures conformable 
with its findings. This second investigation was no more 
fruitful of results than the first had been. The German 



ii6 The Sea Beggars. 

people, and several German princes and bishops as well, 
strongly favored the cause of the Sea Beggars. They were 
— more secretly perhaps, but cordially as ever — assisted in 
the German maritime cities, and by the Counts of East 
Friesland, who, on Februar}' 12th, 1572, received some sharp 
reprimands from the German Emperor, the father-in-law of 
the King of Spain. 

In England, also, complaints about the Sea Beggars, by 
the Spanish ambassador, De Spes, began to bear fruit, al- 
though their own imprudent acts possibly had as much to do 
with this as the Spanish remonstrances. Lord Cobham, 
Governor of Dover Castle, continued to favor them, and was 
even publicly accused of cooperating with them. It was also 
rumored that the Sea Beggars in the month of August, 1571, 
were preparing a powerful expedition to Spanish America, 
under the leadership of Count Louis of Nassau or De 
Lumbres, for which purpose they had, at Dover, equipped a 
fleet of seven large ships, and a number of smaller ones, — 
about twenty in all — manned with a numerous crew, con- 
tinually augmented by exiled Netherlanders. In anticipation 
of the date of the expected sailing, this fleet kept close to 
the Channel, and meantime caused enormous losses to Span- 
ish commerce. This may have been the fleet, parts of 
which were protected in August and September, 157 1, by 
the cannon of Dover Castle against the victorious squadron 
of Boshuisen, that Alba had sent out to destroy the Sea 
Beggars in the Channel. 

But the Hamburg and English merchants united their 
protests with those of Spain, and on September 20th, 157 1, 
the Privy Council ordered Lord Cobham and the commander 
at the Isle of Wight to keep the freebooters away, to confis- 
cate their goods and ships, and to prevent any intercourse 
between them and the people along the coast. A few days 



Under Their Second Admiral. 117 

later the lord warden of the Cinque Ports wrote to the au- 
thorities at Sandwich, Dover, Hythe, Romney, Rye, Win- 
Chelsea, and Hastings to take good care that no more pro 
visions were conveyed from their ports to the ships of the 
Sea Beggars; while on October 21st, immediately after the 
great Spanish victory over the Turks at Lepanto, the orders 
of the Privy Council became more stringent, and some free- 
hooters were even condemned to imprisonment. 



1 



Chapter Four. 

Under Baron Lumey. 

DE LUMBRES, meanwhile, had resigned as ad- 
miral of the Sea Beggars, and on October 26th, 
157 1, was on the way to France. According to 
the Spanish ambassador, the late admiral carried 
with him, as his share in the proceeds of one year's plunder, 
the amount of fifty thousand ducats, with which, it was said, 
he intended to purchase an estate in France. He did 
not, however, relinquish his country's cause, but continued 
to serve William the Silent for several years as negotiator 
with the French court and nobles. Events showed that he 
was much better fitted as a diplomatist than as the admiral 
of a fleet of undisciplined privateers. 

De Lumbres' successor in office was William, Baron of 
Lumey and Count of La Marck, one of the most inveterate 
haters of Spanish domination in the Netherlands. He had 
sworn not to cut his hair or nails till he should have avenged 
the death of the Counts of Egmontand Hoorn, who, on June 
5th, 1568, with many other prominent Netherlanders, had 
been beheaded at Brussels by order of Alba. On account 
of the size of his nails, Lumey's people familiarly nicknamed 
him Langnagel, or " Longnail." From the very first he had 
been one of William the Silent's most ardent supporters ; had 
rendered valuable services to the country's cause during the 
prince's expedition of 1568, and after its failure had with- 
drawn for a time from public life. But in 1 571, tired of 

looking on and doing nothing, he had joined the fleet of the 
118 



Under Baron Lumey. 119 

Sea Beggars with two ships, bought and equipped by him at 
Hamburg at his own expense. This fact, as well as his 
high social position and historic name, his great riches, 
his dauntless courage, and great force of character at once 
secured for him a prominent position among the chiefs of 
the Sea Beggars, and possibly Lumey's intractability influ- 
enced De Lumbres' resignation as much as his dislike for 
the sea. The retiring admiral preferred Schoonewal as his 
successor in office, and even requested Count Louis of 
Nassau to have him appointed admiral. But Lumey could 
not be repressed, and the prince, in October, 1571, commis- 
sioned the Lord of Lumey as his lieutenant-admiral of the 
fleet of the Sea Beggars. 

At the beginning of winter the new admiral had under 
his immediate command forty Sea-Beggar ships, hovering in 
the English Channel, chiefly between the Downs and Dover, 
while a number of others were preparing to join him from La 
Rochelle and Denmark. To appease the English govern- 
ment somewhat, the new admiral promised to indemnify the 
Hamburg and English merchants that had suffered at the 
hands of his people. At the same time, he gave assurance 
that he would, as much as possible, keep his Sea Beggars 
within bounds. Accordingly, he continually delayed his de- 
parture from the English coast. This was not as difficult 
as it appeared to be. The relations between England and 
Spain had again become strained, owing to the secret in- 
trigues of the Spanish government with the Scotch. On ac- 
count of this Elizabeth might soon need allies. She was, 
therefore, not then disposed to estrange the Beggars, yet, at 
the same time she wished to show the Spanish King that her 
friendship toward him was worth something regarding her 
facilitating the subjugation of his revolting subjects. 

Lumey tarried until the beginning of February, 1572, 



120 The Sea Beggars. 

always securing delay by protesting and making excuses. 
At the same time, he was preparing, with all his might, for 
the supreme effort that, in the spring of 1572, with the re- 
puted assistance of the French government, was to be made 
against the continuation of Spanish domination in the 
Netherlands. The share of the Sea Beggars in this would 
consist in the taking of Briel, Enkhuizen, Flushing, or other 
Netherland seaports. 

The Sea-Beggar captains, in imitation of Jan Van Troyen, 
Nicholas Ruychaver, and others, did not altogether abandon 
their individual enterprises in the Netherland waters. The 
following, related by Dr. Velius in his chronicles of the city 
of Hoorn, is only one instance of many : "1572, January 
29th. The Sea Beggars, under Captain Gerrit Bastiaensz 
Van Gorkum, arrived, and, near the Island of Marken, took 
the marketship of Hoorn, belonging to one Jan Clomp, 
which was returning from Amsterdam. They conveyed it 
to the Vlie, taking the passengers with them, some of whom 
they treated badly, and forced them into promising to pay 
more for their ransom than they were able to." 

While the Sea Beggars were thus active in other parts of 
the continent, their Frisian brothers were not less so in their 
own waters. All along the Friesland coasts the Spanish 
authorities had long before been obliged to station watches 
day and night to sound the alarm immediately should the 
Beggars undertake a *' landganck." This constant watching 
was not only troublesome and expensive to the people of the 
much impoverished coast-districts, but was also unpleasant 
for the watchers themselves, as is instantly seen in a letter 
from the royal president and council of Friesland to the 
governor-general, dated January 23d, 1572, in regard to the 
stretch of country between the villages of Makkum and 
Sixbierum. 



Under Baron Lumey. 121 

The Frisian Sea Beggars had taken up their headquarters 
on the Island of Terschelling, a few miles distant from the 
northern coast of Friesland. Thence they often undertook, 
with ten or twelve light vessels, marauding expeditions to 
the Frisian continent. Relative to their guarding against 
those depredations, the above authorities wrote, that it was : 
" not very well possible to prevent them, as it was difficult 
during these long and cold winter nights to keep watch on 
the sea-dykes, because the same are very much broken, 
owing to the inundation of the year LXX. [1570] ; neither 
are there any houses along the sea-dykes where those 
ordered to watch could take shelter and protect themselves 
against storm, rain, wind, and cold." 

Three weeks later they informed Robles, the vice-stad- 
holder of Friesland, and commander of the royal forces in 
the provinces of Friesland and Groningen, that, for some 
time, the Sea Beggars had, with seven ships, been hovering 
about Hinlopen, and had captured several merchantmen 
passing by. The letter continued that there was reason to 
suppose that " if no measures are taken against this, they 
may commit some act, as a consequence whereof the poor 
residents of this or other sections of the country may be 
plunged into sorrow, and suffer irreparable damage." This 
pitiful cry for assistance was at last answered, perhaps be- 
cause the Beggar chief Bruyn of Utrecht had again landed 
upon the Island of Texel, and had placed it under heavy con- 
tributions. 

Robles now ordered the Spanish captain Moncheau to 
take from the temporary garrison of Harlingen one hundred 
and fifty soldiers and to attack the Sea Beggars. The 
freebooters, meanwhile, had gathered in the Vlie, awaiting 
reinforcements from their associates congregated in the 
English Channel. Seven of the ships answered the call 



122 The Sea Beggars. 

from their comrades in the Vlie, but the ice in the narrow- 
channels between the islands prevented the junction, and the 
auxiliaries were forced to return to English waters, losing 
two of their ships. 

The ice also prevented Moncheau from immediately exe- 
cuting his orders ; and he was obliged to wait several days 
before being able to sail. On March 4th, 1572, the ice at 
last permitted him to leave the harbor of Harlingen with jfive 
ships ; and at two o'clock in the afternoon of March 5th he 
was already engaged with the Sea Beggars, who had in- 
trenched themselves on an island behind eleven redoubts of 
sand. The battle lasted a day and a night, without any ad- 
vantage gained on either side. The following day the Beg- 
gars resolved to quit the Vlie, as it was impossible for them 
to gain any booty so long as the Spanish troops were sta- 
tioned there. 

In sailing away, one of the Beggar ships, under command 
of the intrepid Spierinck, lagging behind, was attacked by a 
powerful Spanish vessel. A fearful cannonade followed, and 
for a long while was kept up on both sides. The Spanish 
commander finally, after having lost many of his crew and 
soldiers, at last ordered a retreat. The soldiers, enraged by 
their losses, threatened to drown the commander if he did 
not continue the fight. He replied that he would employ all 
his ability as a sailor to bring the ships together, and, once 
boarded, even Satan himself would not be able to separate 
them. The firing was renewed, and the vessels again ap- 
proached each other. The grappling irons were thrown, the 
Spaniards boarded the Beggar, and a terrific fight of man 
against man ensued. The first Spanish boarders were 
forced back to their own vessel, but superior numbers and 
discipline gained the day. Spierinck, seeing that everything 
was lost, and not wishing to fall a prisoner into Spanish 



Under Baron Lumey. 123 

hands, threw a couple of bags of money overboard, and or- 
dered one of his crew to run his sword through him. After 
some hesitation and threats the man obeyed, and Spierinck 
was saved the disgrace of captivity, the rack, or the gallows. 
Some of the survivors on board his vessel threw themselves 
into the icy waters, hoping to escape by swimming. But 
nearly all were drowned. Besides Spierinck and his lieu- 
tenant, — Gerrit Van Gorkum, — thirteen of the crew were 
killed, and twenty-eight were captured alive. The heads of 
the killed were severed from their bodies and salted. That 
of Spierinck, the dead commander, was marked for future 
identification, by cutting the ear. At the victorious en- 
trance of their captors into Groningen the prisoners were 
forced to carry the heads of their fallen comrades, and to 
present them as trophies to Robles. Thereupon the captives 
themselves were cruelly tortured, and subsequently executed 
as a warning to other rebels. But hardly had Robles' forces 
left the Vlie before three Beggar ships again appeared there, 
taking a vessel, loaded with butter and other provisions, and 
hanging the bailiff of the island to a mast — for having ren- 
dered assistance to the soldiers of the enemy. 

Notwithstanding Alba's threats, and the emperor's rei> 
rimands. Count Edzard continued more or less openly to 
favor the Sea Beggars. Only when temporizing became for 
the moment absolutely impossible, he assumed great severity, 
and proceeded more or less rigorously against the exiled 
freebooters. Many Beggar ships under Treslong, Bruyn, 
Ruychaver, Gerrit Van Gorkum, Roobol, Barthold Entens 
Van Mentheda, Homme, and Duco Hettinga, Jan Abels, 
and many others continued their periodic visits to the waters 
of East Friesland, always certain of a friendly reception by 
the burghers of Emden, Norden, and other harbors along 
the rivers and sea-coasts. A number of Sea-Beggar captains, 



124 The Sea Beggars. 

as well as other officers and common sailors, had their families 
and kinsmen there. Four of their captains always took up 
their abode at the inn, " The Arms of Holland," whenever 
they happened to visit Emden. 

The boldness of the Sea Beggars, and their successful 
raids far into the country, began to discourage even so ener- 
getic and resourceful a man as De Robles. A few months 
previously, in October, 157 1, the Beggars had captured the 
wife, the sister, and the son of Andreas Van Anderlecht, 
steward of the Count of Megen, stadholder of Friesland. 
Later they captured a Delfsyl marketship, from which they 
took two wealthy burghers of Groningen and ten from other 
places, for whom they demanded a ransom of a thousand 
crowns. A few days after the last-mentioned battle in the 
Vlie, the Beggars of Hero Van Hettinga and Jelte Van 
Eelsma surprised three rich residents of the Bildt in Fries- 
land. And thus it continued day after day ; no wealthy 
friend of the government was any longer certain of his 
liberty, unless he kept within walled and garrisoned towns. 
The Frisian Sea Beggars, especially, had established a veri- 
table reign of terror for all within their province that did not 
embrace the cause of their country's freedom. 

At the beginning of the year 1572, Prince William the 
Silent intended to undertake something important, but 
various causes, such as the uncertainty of his foreign allies, 
and his customary lack of funds, handicapped him. The 
exiles and other friends of the cause, tired of continually 
contributing for attempts and expeditions that always re- 
sulted in failure, closed their purses. Some of the agents, 
also, sent by the prince to obtain contributions, caused bad 
feeling at times among the exiles, owing to the haughty and 
insolent manner in which they attempted to force people to 
subscribe. The contributions of the Sea Beggars amounted 



Under Baron Lumey. 125 

to very little, although their activity undoubtedly tended to 
keep the hopes of the people alive. Their vain attempts at 
liberation maintained the agitation among the exiles, as well 
as among those that had remained in the country. The 
very boldness of their schemes, as well as their quick re- 
bound after every failure, continued to fill their countrymen 
with confidence in their final success. 

To collect the necessary money for his projected under- 
taking, the prince despatched, on January 28th, 1572, Die- 
derick Sonoy and other trusty agents with letters of recom- 
mendation to the nobles and other influential Netherland 
exiles. In these letters he related his sacrifices for the 
common cause, ever since the year 1568, his endeavors to 
relieve the oppressed fatherland, and his plans for the future, 
which required a large sum of money. Again he had 
pledged his possessions, and with the proceeds and the con- 
tributions he expected from the friends of the cause, he in- 
tended once more to bring an army into the field. Hundreds 
of thousands were contributed in response to this appeal, 
not the least of which was from among the Sea Beggars. 
Chiefs and officers, and many privates, had first sacrificed 
their all, then risked their lives, and more than once offered 
their spoils upon the altar of their country's freedom. 

In the early part of this same year a Beggar squadron 
consisting of thirteen ships had left the Vlie, some of them 
intending to make for the Island of Wieringen. Others 
penetrated further into the Zuiderzee, where they caused 
some damage to the warships of the city of Hoorn, belonging 
to the fleet of Alba's vice-admiral, Boshuizen. Three of the 
Beggar captains, Eelsma, Simon Meyns, and Blois Van Tres- 
long, in the latter part of January, landed at Wieringen, 
probably for the purpose of wintering there. Meyns, bent 
only on plunder, and thinking neither of his own security 



126 The Sea Beggars. 

nor of the safety of his companions, undertook a trip to the 
village of Schoorl, where he captured six rich farmers, for 
whom he demanded a ransom of eleven thousand guilders. 
The honorable Treslong, not at all pleased with his com- 
panion's dangerous rapacity, censured his conduct severely, 
and, after a bitter quarrel, succeeded only in cutting down 
the desired ransom to seven thousand guilders. Treslong's 
people also sometimes behaved so badly, that upon one oc- 
casion the enraged islanders, in a general fight, killed 
seventeen of them. 

And now a report began to circulate that Jan Symonsz 
Rol, Bossu's junior vice-admiral, had landed on the island 
with four companies of soldiers, and was fast approaching. 
It appears that the islanders had only awaited this oppor- 
tunity for taking revenge ; for several of them gathered near 
the ships, fully armed. In order to avenge himself for 
the anticipated loss of his ransom, Meyns, with a dozen 
of his sailors, attacked the Wieringen people. Encouraged, 
however, by the near approach of the soldiers, such a hot 
reception was prepared for the Beggar captain and his band, 
that Meyns and six of his men were killed ; a seventh was 
wounded, and only four succeeded in escaping unhurt. 
The islanders then went to assail Eelsma and Treslong, but 
the former had long before reached his ship and departed ; 
while Treslong succeeded later in quieting the exasperated 
multitude, and was permitted to board his vessel. Soon 
after, the Spanish soldiers appeared on the scene, drawing 
behind them swivel guns and culverins. Upon their demand 
to surrender, Treslong showed them his cannon, and replied 
that he would answer their summons with powder and shot. 
The attack on the Beggar ship now began. The enemy 
discharged more than four hundred shots against Treslong's 
ship, and while a part of his crew was working hard to get 



Under Baron Lumey. 127 

the ship clear of the ice, the rest not only repulsed every 
attack, but succeeded in silencing the enemy's artillery. 
After several ineffectual efforts the ship was at last liberated 
from the ice, escaping from her perilous position with the 
loss of two men only, — Treslong's skipper, and a gunner 
that had previously deserted the enemy for the Beggars. 

This exploit is evidently the same mentioned by Dr. Velius 
in his chronicles of Hoorn, of which the following is a trans- 
lation : " A few days afterward William Van Treslong — one 
of the prince's captains — arrived in the Vlie with his war- 
ship, intending to sail from there for Texel, but was forced 
by the ice to go to Wieringen. There he lay till March, 
going every day with his people on land, and continually 
living on the husbandmen, without being able to depart, the 
aforesaid frost lasting a long time. The stadholder, having 
been informed of this, sent the admiral, Jan Symons Rol, 
there with four companies of foot-soldiers and a number of 
sailors, among whom were many from our city, for the pur- 
pose of overcoming and taking Treslong's ship. 

" Rol left Hoorn with nineteen sleds, and very unexpect- 
edly arrived on the island, almost succeeding in surprising 
the captain and the larger part of his crew on shore. But 
failing in this, he immediately summoned the ship to sur- 
render ; receiving, in turn, the answer that they had for him 
nothing but powder and lead. He immediately ordered his 
men to proceed, intending forthwith to attack the ship and 
to storm it from every side. But the ship having been 
righted, Treslong's artillery forced them to retreat, not with- 
out the loss of men. They now sought shelter behind a 
dyke. After our burgomaster, Dirk Gerbrantsz, had, with 
some cannon, powder, and other ammunitions of war come to 
his assistance, he guided a number of boats and ice-sleds, 
filled with earth, on the ice, used them as fortifications, 



128 The Sea Beggars. 

placed some cannon behind them, and fired nearly five hun- 
dred shots at the ship. But he caused little or no damage ; 
his ordnance was too light, and he had not placed his batteries 
near enough. Treslong, meanwhile, having succeeded in 
cutting a channel through the ice to free his ship, directed his 
course seaward, laughing at the cowardice and inexperience 
of his assailants. They had discharged more than four 
hundred and eighty shots at the ship, but with little effect. 
After they had become free of the ice, they began a fearful 
cannonade, laughed at their enemy, and made for the sea, 
directing their course to England, without having lost any 
one but their skipper." 

Treslong now set sail for the English port of Dover, near 
which Lumey had stationed himself with nearly one-half of 
the entire Beggar Fleet. It is almost certain that, had the 
majority of the Sea-Beggar chiefs been imbued with Tres- 
long's spirit and high purpose, and possessed of his military 
skill, the decisive blow for liberty would have been struck 
two or three years before the accident of April ist, 1572, 
when the fate of Spanish supremacy in Northern Netherland 
was decided and the foundation of the Dutch Republic laid. 

Two weeks before Treslong's fortunate escape from the 
ice and from the enemy's cannon, the Duke of Alba, on Feb- 
ruary i6th, 1572, summoned Captain Zeger Jansen, of Me- 
denblik, one of the duke's naval commanders, to appear 
before his Council of Troubles — known in popular parlance 
as Council of Blood. At the time these summons were 
issued the captain's property was also confiscated. In the 
latter part of 1571 he, with his ship of three hundred tons 
and his entire crew, had abandoned the cause of Spain and 
gone over to the Sea Beggars. He had retained command 
of his vessel, however, one of the largest and best-equipped 
of the Beggar Fleet. The new Beggar captain appointed as 



Under Baron Lumey. 129 

his lieutenant Eloy Van Rudam, a southern Netherlander of 
Lille, or Ryssel, who won a most enviable reputation when, 
two years later, the scene of naval warfare shifted from the 
waters of Friesland and the Zuiderzee to the estuaries of 
the Scheldt, in the province of Zeeland. 

The Sea Beggars that had congregated in the English 
Channel and South of England ports, did not appear to be 
much affected by the decrees issued against them by the 
English government. In the month of February the irre- 
pressible Schoonewal was busily engaged capturing Spanish 
vessels passing the Isle of Wight. On this account the 
English government ordered his apprehension. Lumey 
himself, on February loth, 1572, had been peremptorily or- 
dered to quit immediately the English waters with all the 
ships under his command. Positive instructions were given 
to the commanders of the Cinque Ports to prevent every 
local intercourse with the Sea Beggars ; while some of their 
chiefs were even arrested and their ships confiscated. After 
it became evident that they had neither prizes nor booty to 
dispose of, they were speedily liberated and their ships re- 
turned to them, either upon the plea that they had entered 
the port only under stress of weather or upon other plausible 
excuses. 

Early in the year Lumey requested the English govern- 
ment to set apart for him some port, preferably the harbor of 
Dover, that he could consider as specially destined for the 
use of his fleet ! The English government, as was to be ex- 
pected, refused not only this peculiar request, but the queen 
issued an order February 21st, 1572, in which she in- 
formed the authorities that Lumey had been permitted to 
quit the English harbors with his ships, but not permitted 
to establish himself at Dover or anywhere else in the realm 
for the purpose of there equipping and manning his ships. 
9 



130 The Sea Beggars. 

Lumey was again ordered to leave, and in case he should 
not willingly do so he was to be refused provisions, but no vio- 
lence was to be used against him, unless by explicit orders of 
the Privy Council. The English government even went so 
far as to declare to the Spanish ambassador that it did not 
consider William the Silent a sovereign prince, possessing 
the international standing to declare war and issue letters of 
marque, and that it intended to chase the prince's ships 
away from the English ports. 

But if the English government, for political reasons, was 
anxious to rid itself of the Sea Beggars, the authorities of 
the ports that the Netherland privateers usually selected as 
their trysting-places, were not desirous of seeing them go. 
The people of those ports derived profits too large from the 
presence of the Sea Beggars, and on that account were loth 
to see them depart. 

On March ist, 1572, the English government again issued 
a sharply worded proclamation to the port-authorities re- 
garding the presence of the Sea Beggars. But the harbor 
officials employed all manner of subterfuge for the purpose 
of retarding the departure of their profitable guests. Some- 
times they would send the letters of marque, issued by the 
prince or his brother, to London for investigation. At other 
times they used the stormy weather as an excuse for per- 
mitting the Sea Beggars to enter and shelter in their harbors. 
Again, they would write to London that they understood the 
decree of February 21st concerned only Lumey and his 
crews, but did not apply to the other Sea Beggars. It was 
evident that Lumey would have to go ; and early in March 
he left his safe anchorage. But soon again he returned to 
English waters, and about March 20th was cruising with six 
small ships between Dover and the Downs. 

Lumey's vice-admiral, Lancelot Van Brederode, and other 



Under Baron Lumey. 131 

Beggar chiefs, were bold enough to take up their abode in 
London, and there, in plain view of every one, visited the 
exchange, all of which caused the temporary Spanish am- 
bassador and negotiator Sweveghem to exclaim : " Voila le 
premier fruict des edits nouveaux centre cette canaille ! " 
(See here the first fruit of the new edicts against that rabble !) 
It was during this time that Lumey is said to have declared 
to his captains that he was waiting only for reinforcements 
to make an attack upon Briel and the Island of Voorne, 
where, in the latter part of 157 1, he had sent a French cap- 
tain to inspect the defenses, and study the chances of 
success. 

A little more than a week later, on March 29th, 1572, in- 
telligence was received at London that, some days preceding, 
Lumey had arrived with sixteen ships at the Isle of Wight, 
for the purpose of disposing of five prizes that he had just 
taken in the Channel, and also to provision his fleet. How- 
ever, the Beggars were gone long before any orders concern- 
ing them could reach the authorities from the capital. Blois 
Van Treslong, after his fortunate escape from the Spanish 
attack at Wieringen, had reached the Channel in company 
with more vessels, and now united with his admiral. Owing 
to orders to the authorities in the English harbors not to per- 
mit any of the Sea Beggars to take in provisions, the stores 
of most of them were very low. Twenty-four of the ships 
under Lumey now left the Channel in an easterly direction, 
expecting possibly to fall in with some merchantmen or fish- 
ing-craft, and thus replenish their larder. On March 31st, 
they overtook and captured two merchant vessels in the 
North Sea, coming from Spain ; one — a Spanish ship belong- 
ing in Biscay ; the other belonging at Antwerp, and com- 
manded by Captain Claes Vaer of Brouwershaven, but sail- 
ing under Spanish colors, and, therefore, legitimate prey. 



132 The Sea Beggars. 

The two captured ships were added to the fleet, and given 
in command to Adam Van Haren and Marinus Brand. 

The Sea Beggars now set sail for the coast of Holland, 
with the intention, probably, of attacking the Spanish squad- 
ron near the Island of Texel, and undertaking something 
against Enkhuizen or other ports within the province of 
North Holland. Some think that they intended to proceed 
to the Sound for the purpose of intercepting the grain ships 
destined for Amsterdam. However, the wind suddenly 
shifted to the north ; and opposite Egmond, on the sea, the 
Beggar Fleet was forced to turn. They now followed a 
southerly direction toward the river Maas, pursued a few 
merchantmen, which escaped to Rotterdam, and on Tuesday, 
April I St, 1572, the entire fleet cast anchor before Briel, the 
city now destined to become the cradle of Dutch liberty. 

THE SEA-BEGGAR CHIEFS. 
A. Those that Took Part in the Capture of Briel. 



)els, I 

? of Dockum, Friesland. 



William, Count of La Marck, Baron of Lumey, etc., Lieutenant- 
admiral of the fleet, of Liege, Belgium, 
Foeke Abels, 
Jan Abels, 

Jacob Antoniszoon. of tfaarlem, Holland. 
Nicolaas Bernaard, probably of Brussels. 
Geleyn Bouwensz, probably of Zeeland. 
Marinus Brand, of Saeftinge, Zeeland. 
Bruyn, of Utrecht. 

Jacob Cabiljauw, of Ghent, Flanders. 
Michiel Croock, of Liege, Belgium. 
Jacob Simonsz De Ryk, of Amsterdam, Holland. 
Dirk Duivel, of Amsterdam, Holland. 
Baltus Franszoon, of Dordrecht, Holland. 
Jelmer Gabbes, of Ameland, Friesland. 
Douwe Glins, of Friesland. 
Guillaume Grave, of Ghent, Flanders. 



Under Baron Lumey. 133 

Jacques Hennebert, of Sluis, in Zeeland-Flanders. \ 

Gautier Herlin, of Valenciennes, Belgium. 

Duco Hettinga, } . j, . j i t:- • , j 
TT IT ^4.- ( of Barderadeel, Fnesland. 

Homme Hettmga, ) 

Niklaas Holbeek, probably of North Holland. 

Willem Lievensz, probably of Middelburg, Zeeland. 

Cornells Loufsz, of Amsterdam, Holland. 

Jacob Martens, of Ghent, Flanders. 

Maarten Merens, of Amsterdam or Hoom, Holland. 

Johan Omal, of Liege, Belgium. 

Hans Onversaagd, of Schalkwyk, Utrecht. 

Tjart or Wilke Rengers, of Groningen. 

Cornells Geerlofsz Roobol. 

Eloy Rudam, probably of Brussels, Belgium. 

Niklaas Ruychaver, of Haarlem, Holland. 

Jacques Schoonewal, of Ghent, Flanders. 

Jan Simonsz, either of North Holland or of Friesland. 

Wybe Sjoerdsz, of Workum, Friesland. 

Jan Klaasz Spieghel, probably of Amsterdam, Holland. 

Gillis Steltman, of Brussels, Belgium. 

Jan Syvertsz, of Amsterdam, Holland. 

Hendrik Thomasz, of North Holland. 

Lancelot Van Brederode, of Haarlem, Holland. 

Frederik Van Dorp, of Holland. 

Willem Van Dorp, of Holland. 

Arent Van Duivenvoorde, of Holland. 

Johan Van Duivenvoorde, of Warmond, Holland. 

Cornelis Lousz Van Everdingen, of Utrecht. 

Lodewyck Van Gent. 

Adam Van Haren, of Valkenburg, Limburg. 

Salomon Van der Hoeve, of Schiedam, Holland 

Frederick Van Inthiema, of Koudum, Friesland. 

Dirk Van der Laan, probably of Leyden, Holland. 

Albrecht Van Egmond Van Merestein, of Holland. 

Barthold Entens Van Mentheda, of Middelstum, Groningen. 

Antonis Van Rynen, of Overysel. 

Willem Van Blois Van Treslong, of Den Briel, Holland. 

Antonis Antonisz Van Utenhove, of Ghent, Flanders, 

Adrian Van Zwieten. 

EUert Vlierhop, of Jemgum, East Friesland. 

Dirk Wor, of Dordrecht, Holland. 



134 The Sea Beggars. 

B. Those that Took no Part in the Capture of Briel. 

Adrian Van Bergues, Lord of Dolhain, of Hainault, ) . , , 

Guislain De Fiennes, Lord of Lumbres, of Artois, ) 

Tamme Abels, of Dockum, Friesland. 

Joannes Andriesz. 

Foppe Annes, of Dockum, Friesland. 

Albrecht Benningerhof. 

Andries Pietersz Bie, Bye or De Bie, of Dordrecht, Holland. 

Jan Bonga, of West Dongeradeel, Friesland. 

Boske, Du Bosk or Van den Bosch. 

Jan Broek, of Amsterdam, Holland. 

Calfsvel, of* Rotterdam, Holland. 

Gysbrecht Jansen Coninck, of Dordrecht, Holland. 

Jelte Eelsma, of Sixbierum, Friesland. 

Meinert Friesse, probably of Friesland. 

Hartman and Watze Gauma, brothers of Ackrum, Friesland. 

Gisbertus, of Holland. 

Pibo Harda, of Friesland. 

Wolter Hegeman, of Harderwyk, Gelderland. 

Hero Hottinga, of Leeuwarden, Friesland. 

Zeger Janszoon, of Medenblik, Holland. 

Jan Joosten. 

Adriaan Michielsz Menninck, of Delft, Holland. 

Baron of Montfalcon, of Burgundy. 

Jan Robert. 

Michiel Samplon. 

Diederik Sonoy, of Cleves, Germany. 

Spierinck or Spiering. 

Seger Sprieckloo. 

Jo. Vigerus a Sytsma, of Friesland. 

Wibo Tjarrels, of Bolsward, Friesland. 

Philippus Tongerloo, possibly of Flanders. 

Jerome Tseraerts, of Brussels, Belgium. 

Poppo Ufkens (Ten Dam), of Groningen. 

Peter Van Berchem, probably of Antwerp. 

Louis Van Bergues, of Hainault. 

Erasmus Van Brederode. 

Dirk Van Bremen. 

Ananias Van Crueningen, of Zeeland. 

Gerrit Sebastiaansz Van Gorkum, of Holland. 



Under Baron Lumey. 135 



Willem Van Imbize or Hembyze, of Ghent, Flanders. 
Jan Jansen Van der Nyenburg, of Amsterdam, Holland. 
Gerrit Gerretsen Van Oudwater, of Holland. 
Crispinus Van Solbrugge, of Arnhem, Gelderland. 
Jan Van Troyen, of Rotterdam, Holland. 
Egbert Wybrantsz, 
Jurrien Wybrantsz, 
Wyger, of Dockum, Friesland. 



^ ^ Frisians, who had lived at Amsterdam. 



N. B. — It is to be observed that the writing of names of 
persons and of places in those days was very variable. On 
this account, therefore, a name will appear written in several 
different ways yet meaning the same person or place. For in-- 
stance : Koning, Koninck, Coning, etc. ; Jansen, Jansz, Jans- 
zoon, etc. ; Tholen, Tolen, etc. There existed no fixed rule 
in the writing of proper names, and every scribe wrote them 
as he saw fit. Several persons also signed their names dif- 
ferently at various times, as well as the places of their birth 
or residence. 



Part II. 

The Sea Beggars as Liberators. 

(th:e dutch have taken Holland !) 



Chapter One. 

The Capture of Briel. 

WHEN, in the spring of 1 571, it was generally- 
feared among the Spanish authorities in the 
Netherlands that the Sea Beggars had planned 
several attacks against maritime cities, the 
authorities made haste to station garrisons and, in some in- 
stances, guardships in and about several of the threatened 
towns. The city of Den Briel, Briel or Brielle. on the Island 
of Voome, in the province of South Holland, which, prior 
to this, had been threatened by the Sea Beggars, had, on this 
account, been obliged to receive a Spanish garrison. Be- 
sides this garrison, a guardship, under the command of 
Captain Schulenburgh, had been stationed in the river 
Maas. 

The city authorities were not only obliged to pay the 
soldiers and sailors, and to provide for them, but had to 
incur the additional expense of engaging one Joost Come- 
lisz, a Spanish scholar, " for the purpose of interpreting to 
the burghers the Spanish of the soldiers." All this occurred v 
at a time when the commerce, the fisheries, and the shij>- 
building interests of the place had been well-nigh ruined by 
the depredations of the Sea Beggars and the tyranny of the 
Spanish government. Large numbers of citizens had, on 
this account, been forced to seek refuge in more peaceable 
lands, and even among the very Sea Beggars that had largely 
been instrumental in bringing about their city's decline. y^ 

]39 



140 



The Sea Beggars. 



Den Briel was unable to bear the heavy expense inci- 
dent to its garrison and guardship. More than once the 
city authorities had petitioned the Duke of Alba to release 
them from this heavy burden. The States of Holland 
joined in the petition, and the consequence was that, on 
November 19th, 1571, after all danger of an immediate at- 
tack upon the city and island appeared to be passed, the 
Spanish governor-general ordered the garrison of Briel to 
proceed to Utrecht. This was not so much to relieve Briel, 
perhaps, as to punish Utrecht for the decided stand it was 
taking against the payment of the detested tenth-penny tax. 

Den Briel was therefore without defenders. The twenty- 
six ships of the Sea Beggars were manned by crews proba- 
bly numbering eight hundred sailors at most. Some of 
these ships measured at least one hundred and sixty tons, 
and were armed with about twenty pieces of artillery. This 
force was more than sufficient to take and hold a city the 
size of Den Briel, where a large proportion of the people, if 
not favorable, was at least not inimical, to the cause repre- 
sented by the freebooters. Twice before — the first time 
in 1570, the second in 1571 — the Sea Beggars had intended 
to attempt the surprise of Den Briel. Each project, however, 
had been abandoned ; although the leaders of the revolt had 
strongly favored the intent, because the city was considered 
the key to the whole of South Holland. 

Upon this period of their country's history much diversity 
of opinion exists among later Dutch historians as to whether 
the attack upon the city was premeditated or only acci- 
dental. The course of the Sea Beggars north and their 
subsequent return south, because of adverse winds, appears 
to have favored the latter opinion. But it is certain that 
Lumey, the admiral of the Sea Beggars, had already planned 
and prepared an assault on Briel in conjunction with the 



The Capture of Briel. 141 

projected undertakings of the prince. This attack, there- 
fore, though fortunately happening at the moment it did, 
may have been premature only in regard to time and mode 
of execution. 

At this time also reports circulated among the Beggar 
Fleet that the Duke of Medina Celi, Alba's successor as 
Spanish governor-general in the Netherlands, was about to 
sail for the country. The clear-sighted Lumey wished to 
prevent him from finding a port by which he could enter the 
Netherlands. It was therefore the intention of the Sea 
Beggars to take as many ports as they could and Briel cer- 
tainly was to be one of them. Possibly, too, for the pur- 
pose of engaging Medina's ships if they should appear 
too early near the scene of action, almost one-half of the 
entire Beggar Fleet had been left behind in the Channel ; and 
it is a well-established fact that Lumey's squadron — gathered 
between Dover and Calais some time during the month of 
March, 1572 — consisted of considerably more than forty 
vessels. 

The Beggar Fleet was composed of all kinds of sea-going 
craft known in those days. Few among them were actual 
warships, /. ^., built for that purpose. The greater number 
were originally merchantmen, converted into the semblance 
of warships. All flew the colors of the prince ; some of them \ 
inscribed with the legends " Pro Patria " or " Leve de Geu- 
zen." Besides this general standard there were also dis- 
played from the masthead the banners of the nobles and the 
city flags of the burgher-captains, commanding the ships. 
Nearly every ship also showed a broad red pennant, upon 
which ten pennies had been painted, emblematic of the Sea 
Beggars' declaration that they intended to deliver the coun- 
try from Alba's tenth-penny tax. '' 

The Beggar Fleet now approached the city in battle array. 



142 The Sea Beggars. 

Marinus Brand and Adam Van Haren, with their new com- 
mands — the Spanish merchantmen just captured — led the 
van. Soon the entire squadron cast anchor in plain view of 
the astounded city. No one needed to ask who they were. 
Their rigging— especially the ensigns hanging from their 
mastheads — made it plain to every one that they were the Sea 
Beggars, come at last to tear the city from the grasp of the 
Spaniards. 

Immediately the report was spread everywhere : " The Sea 
Beggars have come ! " Quickly the gates were locked, the 
city council assembled, and armed burghers hastened to the 
walls. 

Meanwhile Jan Pietersz Koppelstock was returning from 
Maassluis to Den Briel with a load of passengers. He was 
a fish merchant and the proprietor of the ferry between Den 
Briel and Maassluis, a substantial citizen of the little town, 
an ardent patriot and a secret friend of the Sea Beggars. 
As soon as the passengers spied the unwonted number of 
ships congregated in the roadstead of Briel, they asked 
Koppelstock: "Who are they?" Upon his reply, ''The 
Beggars of the Sea," the passengers were struck with such 
terror that they refused to proceed, and requested the ferry- 
man to take them back to Maassluis. After their return, 
Koppelstock, without taking time to go to Den Briel, imme- 
diately made for the fleet, hailed Treslong's ship, — easily rec- 
ognized by its commander's standard waving from her mast- 
head, — and was introduced by Treslong to Lumey as the 
discreet and devoted man they needed for the message they 
wanted to convey to the city. 

Treslong himself had been born at Den Briel, and spent 
his early youth there. Yonker Jasper Van Treslong, the 
father of the Sea-Beggar captain, had been bailiff for several 
years of Den Briel and of the Island of Voorne. Those in 



The Capture of Briel. 143 

authority, therefore, knew his seal. Without giving him any 
written message, the admiral commissioned Koppelstock 
verbally to request the city authorities to send their dele- 
gates to treat about the surrender of the town. The well- 
known signet-ring of Treslong, given to the ferryman, was 
to convince the city magistrates that he had been sent by the 
heads of the Sea Beggars. 

Koppelstock, armed with his credentials, and desirous of 
taking an active part in the liberation of his city, returned 
speedily to the town. The people, who must have seen him 
leave the Beggar Fleet, were anxiously awaiting his arrival. 
As soon as he presented himself before the gate, it was eag- 
erly opened, and crowds of people, gathering about and fol- 
lowing him, importuned him to learn his message. Some 
— partisans of Spain — were insulting in their remarks. 
But, paying no heed to any around him, Koppelstock has- 
tened to the city hall, where the magistracy had convened. 
Here he explained that he had been authorized by Lumey 
and Treslong to request that delegates from among the 
city council should accompany him to the jetty to treat 
about the city's surrender to the prince. " You need have 
no fear," he added: "the Sea Beggars will harm no one, 
and have come only to save the city for the king, from 
Alba's tyranny and his ruinous tenth-penny tax." In token 
of his credibility, Koppelstock showed his credentials in the 
shape of Treslong's well-known signet-ring. 

The city fathers were in a quandary. They knew that 
the Spaniards would never forgive them if they should sur- 
render the city to the Sea Beggars, and that a Spanish siege, 
possibly a bloody revenge, was sure to follow. They also 
remembered that the banished bailiff, Sandyck, was Tres- 
long's uncle, the husband of Elizabeth Van Treslong, 
sister of the Beggar captain's father. And, the year pre- 



144 The Sea Beggars. 

ceding, they had not only set apart Sandyck's house as a 
barracks for the Spanish troops, but had even confiscated 
his property. They dreaded the Sea Beggars almost as 
much as the Spaniards, and did not know how to act, as it 
was evident that the larger part of the burghers could not 
be counted upon to assist them. 

The presiding burgomaster, Jan Pietersz Nicker, now asked 
Koppelstock: "How strong are the Beggars?" The ferry- 
man promptly answered : " At least five thousand strong." 
This answer frightened them still more. If the Beggars 
were so numerous, resistance was out of the question. 
Thereupon the council decided to send two delegates to 
meet the Beggar admiral, and about three o'clock in the 
afternoon they departed in company of Koppelstock. 
Lumey, with some of his captains, had already gone ashore. 
They were now awaiting Koppelstock's return and the arrival 
of the delegates, in a house situated between the city and 
the pier, at the junction of the Heyndyke and the Hoofd- 
dyke. The captains had also disembarked part of their 
crews, — about three hundred men in all, — who had taken 
positions near enough to impress the delegates. 

Koppelstock and his not very cheerful companions had, 
in the meantime, been admitted into the presence of Lumey, 
who demanded the unconditional surrender of the town 
within two hours. Upon their return to the city the deputies 
already saw the Sea Beggars marching in the direction of 
the North, or Watergate. While passing them, the delegates 
of the city council had enough presence of mind to notice 
and to remember that most of the sailors were " poorly 
clad." This looked ominous enough. But what the coun- 
cilors could not see was that actual want existed upon 
several of the Beggar ships. This want, in some instances, 
was so acute that, when Captain Brand boarded Adam Van 



The Capture of Briel. 145 

Haren's ship to find something to eat, the latter could offer 
him only a piece of cheese, — the last he had. 

After the return of the delegates the council resolved to • 
surrender the town. Without, however, taking time to ap- 
prise Lumey of their decision, the members hastened home, 
and packed as many of their valuables as they could carr)^ or 
cart away ; so while the Sea Beggars were still waiting before 
the North gate, hundreds of people were leaving the tow^n by 
the South gate. 

The two hours of grace, meanwhile, had expired. Lumey \ 
now began to grow impatient for the answer, so unexpectedly 
delayed, and he sent Treslong with a detachment of Beggars 
to the South gate. Treslong, passing by one or two other 
cit}' gates, arrived in time to intercept a number of fugitives. 
Among them was a relative of two of the Beggar chiefs, the 
bailiff and treasurer Yonker Jan Van Duivenvoorde, who - 
had just left the cit}' with government funds, amounting to 
six thousand guilders. He was invited to remain with the 
Sea Beggars, and the funds were confiscated in behalf of 
the cause. 

Roobol, Treslong's lieutenant, and one of the most in- 
trepid of Sea Beggars, had taken command of the division 
before the North gate, under Lumey's personal supervision. 
At the expiration of the two hours of grace Roobol ap- 
proached the gate. He asked the burghers on the wall 
whether they were going to assist him in ; or whether he 
should help himself. For answer he was — according to 
one historian — fired upon by some of the burghers ; the gate 
remained closed. 

The resourceful Roobol now ordered some of his men to • 

gather branches of trees, twigs, and straw, and to pile them 

against the gate ; these were then covered with pitch and tar, 

and fire set to the pile ; at the same time the doors were 
10 



146 The Sea Beggars. 

forced by the use of gunpowder. When even this failed to 
open the gate, Roobol battered the door with piece of a 
mast, while some of the nimblest of his men scaled the 
walls, where the burghers were either too much frightened 
or too indecisive to offer any resistance. At last the gate 
succumbed to the united attacks of fire, gunpowder, and 
battering-ram, and about eight o'clock on the evening of 
Tuesday, April ist, 1572, Roobol's detachment of Sea Beg- 
gars entered the city of Brielle by way of the North gate. 

Upon Treslong's arrival at the South gate it had been 
promptly closed, and no one paid any attention to the trum- 
peter in front of the gate, who demanded the surrender 
of the town. Treslong now threatened to set fire to the 
gate. The frightened burghers thereupon opened it, and 
Treslong's division entered the city by way of the South 
gate, at the same time that Roobol gained entrance from the 
opposite side. This Tuesday, April ist, 1572, as a con- 
sequence of the fortunate capture of Briel, proved to be the 
birthday of the Dutch nation. 

The Sea Beggars, contrary to all expectation and pre- 
cedent, did not now by any marked excesses disgrace their 
victory or desecrate the cause for which they fought. It 
is true that two houses had been burned, but one of 
them — the dwelling of Pieter Paulusz Steur — had been 
ignited by the sparks flying from the fire at the North gate. 
No harm was done to the burghers, although several build- 
ings, especially those left vacant by the fugitives, were 
looted. There was a large sum of money at the house of 
burgomaster Nicker, arising from the excise. In his hasty 
flight he had forgotten all about it, and Lumey eagerly ap- 
propriated it for the cause. 

Neither was there any lack of quarters or of provisions 
for the men. A large part of the population, especially 



The Capture of Briel. 147 

among the wealthier classes, had precipitately left the city. 
Therefore, from the commonest Beggar sailor to the admiral 
himself, they had only to choose from the best and most 
commodious houses in the city for their quarters. 

After the second day Lumey convoked a council of war, 
and, in view of the weakness of the place, asked his captains 
whether they deemed the city tenable or not ; also whether 
it was their opinion and advice to hold the town for the 
prince, or to ship their booty and depart. In the first place, 
Treslong, De Ryk, Duivel, Entens, and certainly the Van 
Dorps, the Van Duivenvoordes, Van der Hoeven, Cabiljau, 
and Ruychaver, the most influential and prominent among 
his commanders, were in favor of holding the town. " How 
was it possible," was asked, " to keep up the courage of 
an expectant people, whose hopes, owing to the oft-promised 
but ever-failing liberation, were fast waning, if they should 
thus wantonly throw away a key to the country ? It was 
much better, now that fortune had aided them, to inform the 
prince of their success, as he would not then commit the 
blunder of leaving them to themselves." And the noble De 
Ryk, it appears, would rather have died in defense of the city 
than again become an exile on the waters ; for he said : " As 
far as I am concerned, many a time have I prayed God for 
a grave upon my country's strand ; now I expect to find one 
within walls." 

It was fortunate for their oppressed country that they 
counseled thus. Most of the others were in favor of hold- 
ing the city, and Lumey issued orders to stay. As soon as 
the decision of the council of war had been ratified, a mes- 
senger was sent to Dillenburg, in Germany, to acquaint 
William the Silent with the happy event, and to request 
assistance, — much needed. Disguised as a farmer, the mes- 
senger traveled by way of Utrecht and Arnheim to Germany. 



v. 



148 The Sea Beggars. 

Arriving there, he was silent no longer, and the happy news 
was soon spread over all Germany that the Dutch had at 
last taken and were holding a stronghold in their own 
country, — the key to the important province of South Hol- 
land. 

At first the prince was not very well pleased with the 
whole affair ; and, judging from past experience, and know- 
ing the general character of the Sea Beggars, he feared 
they would commit grave mistakes. He also deemed the 
conquest premature and too risky, and was of opinion that, 
in case of an attack or siege by the Spaniards, the city 
would not be able to hold out, and that the cause of liberty 
would then be very much damaged. What was even worse, 
this temporary success he thought would put Alba upon his 
guard, and frustrate the other attempts that the prince had 
been preparing at the expense of so great a sacrifice and 
so much money. Still he promised every assistance in his 
power, and hoped for the best. 

Immediately after the resolve to hold Den Briel, Treslong 
was appointed governor and captain-general of the city ; 
a number of Sea Beggars were also drafted from the ships 
to serve as a garrison for their new stronghold, and the 
defenses were hurriedly strengthened, — mostly by means 
of fish barrels, filled with sand and earth. The prince's 
colors floating from the city towers by daylight, and the 
signal fires by night, warned every patriot that the city was 
yet in possession of the Sea Beggars, and that every defender 
would be made welcome within its walls. 

Accompanied by Bernard and Rudam — the David and 
Jonathan of the Sea Beggars — De Ryck was despatched 
to England to acquaint the other Sea Beggars with their 
success, to spread the news of the conquest among the other 
exiles, and to request assistance in men and money. 



The Capture of Briel. 149 

The people of Den Briel, at first so reluctant to declare 
themselves, were now full of zeal to assist in preserving 
their newly-acquired freedom. Men, women, and children 
cordially and enthusiastically assisted their liberators in 
putting their city in a defensible condition. Thfe suburb 
adjoining the South gate was burned down, so that the enemy 
— who was certain to come — could not find any shelter 
there. The orchards in the Newland polder were cut down, 
and the trunks and branches of the trees carried on the road 
and dyke leading to the South gate, to impede the enemy's 
progress. The men and boys of Den Briel, meanwhile, 
were kept busy strengthening the weak defense of the South 
gate by building a new bastion, which, as long as it stood, 
was known by the name of " Lumey's bastion," — a grateful 
tribute to the liberator of their city. Every one did some- 
thing to keep their town from again passing under the yoke. 
Even the wives and daughters of the rich, unaccustomed to 
perform any hard labor, made themselves supremely useful; 
by tearing their aprons and other suitable material, and, 
twisting the strips into fuses. Thus was the city preparing' 
to receive the forces of the tyrant, who certainly would 
not delay to attempt the recovery of this important strong- 
hold. 

When Bossu, Holland's Spanish stadholder, had been in- 
formed of the fall of Den Briel, he immediately perceived 
its far-reaching influence upon the affairs of the country, 
and he resolved to regain the city before its moral effect 
upon other dissatisfied regions should endanger Spanish 
domination there. 

He had learned of the great event early in the morning of 
April 2d, while staying at The Hague, being there with the 
object of devising measures against the very Sea Beggars 
that had now so boldly snatched from him a part of his 



\ 



150 



The Sea Beggars. 



/ province. He forthwith wrote to Don Hernando De Toledo, 
commander of the Spanish garrison at Utrecht, ordering 
him to send to his assistance eight companies of infantry. 
This was done immediately. Bossu himself concentrated 
all the available troops in his immediate vicinity, and with- 
out delay marched them upon Maassluis, whence he intended 
to ship them to Briel. On the evening of April 4th the 
companies sent from Utrecht arrived at Vlaardingen and 
Schiedam, and only the strong wind prevented their speedy 
departure. Possibly Pieter Van Vrancken, Vlaardingen's 
bailiff, a secret friend of his country's liberty, w^ho was to 
pilot the Spanish vessels to Den Briel, may have had some- 
thing to do with the delay, as it would afford the Sea Beg- 
gars more time to strengthen their defenses. The following 
morning, however, the storm had passed ; excuse for a 
longer delay existed no more, and twenty-five vessels con- 
veyed the Spanish hosts to the Island of Voorne, where, in- 
stead of a brilliant victory, shameful defeat and almost total 
annihilation were awaiting them. 

On Sunday, April 5th, the Spanish troops, between twelve 
hundred and fifteen hundred strong, landed at Heenvliet, only 
a few miles distant from their goal. The ships were left 
behind in a small stream, the Bornisse. Van Vrancken had 
advised the Spaniards to leave the ships there, and he found 
means to acquaint his Beggar friends at Den Briel with the 
fact. They would soon know what advantage to take of it. 

But why did not the Sea Beggars oppose the landing of 
the enemy ? First, their forces were not strong enough to 
be divided ; secondly, the report of the coming of the 
Spaniards had driven hundreds of country people within the 
walls of the city. Lumey did not know their disposition, 
and, fearing treason from this direction, did not deem it 
prudent to detach any considerable number of his small 



The Capture of Briel. 151 

force from their base : he awaited the coming of the 
enemy. 

With standards flying, and to the strains of martial music, 
the Spaniards sped along the country roads of the Island of 
Voorne, confident of an easy victory over the undisciplined 
hordes of the despised Sea Beggars. So lightly indeed did 
Bossu esteem the enemy, he had not, in his impatience to face 
the invaders, even taken the time or the trouble to provide 
himself with heavy artillery. 

Soon, however, the van, led by the impetuous ensign 
Diego Felices, was forced to pause in front of the obstruc- 
tions caused by the felled trees and branches. Hardly had 
they paused when a well-directed and murderous fire came 
from the Beggar sharpshooters, stationed behind those ob- 
structions, that now served them as ramparts. Wavering and 
disorder swept along the Spanish ranks ; and after several 
ineffective discharges from their muskets, they were forced 
to fall back into the Newland polder, below the dyke. 

While the Beggars, stationed in front of the South gate, 
were thus extending so hearty a reception to the Spaniards, 
another party, under Treslong and Roobol, left the city by a 
circuitous route, and marched in the direction of the Bornisse^ 
Here they set fire to some of the Spanish ships, sank others, 
and detached a few from their moorings, sending them 
adrift, and thus cutting off the Spanish retreat. They re- 
turned to the city in time to take part in the final destruc- 
tion of the enemy. 

While the firing from behind the felled trees was still \ 
going on, the city carpenter, — Rochus Meeuwisz Coninck, — 
armed with only an axe, appeared upon the dyke, in full 
view of the wavering Spaniards. Before they had time to 
cover him with their fire-arms, the carpenter had disappeared 
in the water, below the Maasdyke. Swimming to the New- 



1 52 The Sea Beggars. 

land sluice, Coninck chopped a hole in the solid sluice-doors. 
The seething waters of the river Maas now began to break 
in upon the astounded Spaniards. Threatened by this, — 
their most dreaded enemy, — the Spaniards again ascended 
the dyke, intending to storm the South gate, hoping thereby, 
by sheer force of numbers, to gain an entrance into the city. 
The Beggar chief, fearing that the obstructions on the dyke 
would not prove efficient, and expecting also that the gate 
would have to stand the brunt of the assault, had stationed 
some of his best and heaviest artillery there. In the head- 
long run for this place of safety, the well-aimed fire of the 
Sea Beggars did so great execution among the Spanish 
troops, that many were mowed down. The remainder were 
forced to seek safety below the dyke, out of reach of the 
scathing fire, in the half-submerged polder, where the 
water had already begun to reach to their belts. Now the 
retreat dissolved itself into a wild and disorderly flight, 
hastened from one side by the rising waters, and from the 
other by the never-ceasing fire of the pursuing Sea Beggars. 
The panic among the Spaniards was still increasing, when, 
upon turning to flee, they beheld the flames licking up the 
masts and rigging of their burning ships. 

A few reached their half-burned vessels, and, quenching 
the fire as well as they could, fled away upon them. Others 
were fortunate enough to escape to New Beyerland. But 
several scores — how many is not known — found their death 
through the bullets of the Sea Beggars, in the raging waters 
of the river Maas, or in the numerous marshes and pools of 
the surrounding country. Before nightfall not a single living 
Spaniard was to be seen anywhere on the entire Island of 
Voorne. Now the liberation was complete. 

On Monday, April 7th, Lumey invited the inhabitants of 
Briel and of the entire Island of Voorne to swear the oath 



The Capture of Briel. 153 

of allegiance to the prince, as the king's stadholder of Hol- 
land and Zeeland. The successful defense of their island 
and city, and the ever-increasing additions to the forces of 
the Sea Beggars within the town, inspired the inhabitants 
with confidence, and gave them the courage to cast in their 
lot with their liberators. Few, therefore, refused to take 
the oath, or left the district where the cause of freedom had 
been victorious. So Briel was the first city to be freed from 
the Spanish yoke, thus gaining the legend beneath its coat 
of arms : 

" LIBERTATIS PRIMITI^." 

The capture and successful defense of Den Briel had, 
furthermore, a far-reaching influence upon the character of 
the Sea Beggars. Their morals were greatly improved. As 
a body, they felt that they had something better to do than 
to plunder weak merchantmen, or despoil defenseless people. 
From mere privateers, and freebooters at times, they became 
an invincible organization of soldiers. After their share in 
the great work of liberation had been accomplished, and 
their redeemed fatherland needed their help in fighting its 
battles to defend its newly-found independence, the Sea 
Beggars were ever ready to answer its calls on land and on 
sea. For years to come they were to be found in the thick- 
est of the fight, and victory usually smiled upon the forces 
with which they were incorporated. 

The happy news of the conquest of Brielle by the Sea 
Beggars had sent a thrill of joy through the entire country. 
Alba was so much enraged and astounded at it that he even 
neglected to have some of his cruel judgments at Brussels 
executed. But the Netherland people again took courage. 
From all parts of the land large numbers of disaffected 
patriots swarmed into Den Briel, not only ready to assist at 



1 54 The Sea Beggars. 

its defense against the enemy, should they return, but also 
ready in the ranks, or under the direction of the Sea Beg- 
gars, to undertake everything for the further Uberation of 
their country. 

The majority of the Sea Beggars, as may be judged from 
their adventurous disposition, did not stay very long in Den 
Briel ; they knew they were needed elsewhere. Marinus 
Brand, for instance, but a few days after the capture, con- 
quered Delfshave'n and Schiedam, and stationed garrisons 
there. The former place, however, was soon retaken by 
Bossu, on April 9th, when he effected his murderous en- 
trance into Rotterdam. Only enough Sea Beggars remained 
in Den Briel to keep up the courage and determination of 
the people, and to instruct the newcomers in the use of 
arms. 

Soon other cities and entire provinces followed the exam- 
ple of Den Briel : Flushing first, and Veere soon after. Enk- 
huisen followed a few weeks later. Hoorn and the entire 
northern quarter of the province of Holland, with all the 
cities north of the Y, did not wait much longer, and nearly 
all of the Holland towns south of the Y drove away their 
Spanish officials. The provinces of Friesland, Gelderland, 
and Overysel were soon after gained over by the presence 
of the prince's forces under his brother-in-law. Count Wil- 
liam Van den Berg. Wherever the presence of strong 
Spanish garrisons did not intimidate the people, they gen- 
erally declared for the prince, and in favor of liberty and 
progress. 

The Sea Beggars soon became so numerous that their 
ships blockaded the entire coast of the North Sea and the 
Zuiderzee. The work of liberation in the north seemed 
almost completed. And then the favorable news was spread 
through the country that Alba's troubles had been much in- 



The Capture of Briel. 155 

creased by Louis of Nassau, who surprised, on May 24th, 
the important and strongly fortified town of Mons, or Bergen, 
in Hainault, the southernmost province of the Netherlands. 

Still, days almost as dark as those that had gone before 
were destined to pass over the country. Most of what had 
been gained was to be lost again. The Sea Beggars would 
be called upon often to come to the assistance of a cause 
almost hopeless ; and sometimes it appeared as if the vic- 
tories of the Spanish armies would force them back to their 
former life of freebooting. 

De Ryck's trip to England was most successful. For 
the purpose of immediately obtaining money, De Ryck 
had taken with him the two ships recently captured in the 
North Sea, to be sold in England. As soon as he arrived 
in Dover, and had communicated the happy news of the 
capture of the key to South Holland, the enthusiastic exiles 
and their friends spread the report far and wide along the 
Channel, to London, and soon the cry was echoed from the 
south to the north, over the length and breadth of the land : 

" THE DUTCH HAVE TAKEN HOLLAND ! " 

But with the dissemination of the news among the people, 
Elizabeth and her council also learned of De Ryck's arrival 
in an English port. This v/as against the decrees, which 
prohibited the Sea Beggars from entering English harbors. 
De Ryck's ships were detained and he himself was brought be- 
fore the queen. Here he related the capture of Den Briel, 
and defended himself so effectively that he was released, but 
was ordered to depart immediately. After listening to his 
tale the queen told him : " that it would be well for him not 
to cause any disturbance in her realm, and to depart for 
home." While De Ryck was detained at London, his com- 
panions, Rudam and Bernard, had been busily engaged 



iS6 The Sea Beggars. 

mustering large numbers of exiles from the neighborhood, 
who were immediately ready to join in the expedition to 
/ their native land. 

• A few days after his arrival De Ryck again set sail with 
his three ships and more than five hundred auxiliaries. 
This showed that he had no need to sell the two prizes, and 
that he had received sufficient pecuniary assistance from 
the friends of the cause in England to enable him to utilize 
his ships for taking over the much-needed auxiliary troops. 
This much is known : Two Dutchmen of Spanish origin, 
the brothers Marcus and Salvador Delia Palma, forced to 
flee from the Netherlands and to take up their abode in 
England, procured De Ryck six thousand guilders, with 
which he purchased greatly-needed ammunition and other 
necessaries for carrying on the war. It is more than proba- 
ble, too, that other Netherlanders, sojourning in England, 
also sent in their contributions, which must have enabled 
De Ryck to keep his ships. 

As will be subsequently related, De Ryck, however, in- 
stead of proceeding to Den Briel, as ordered by Lumey, 
sailed for another destination, where his timely arrival 
served not only to encourage the people but placed him 
where he was in a position to render the most valuable 
services to his country's cause. 



Chapter Two, 

The Revolution at Flushing. 

THE second city to be delivered from the yoke of 
Spain was Vlissingen, or Flushing, " Zeelandia 
portus et Oceani claustra," as a Dutch historian 
of those days modestly calls it, in the province 
of Zeeland. Though the burghers themselves cast off the 
yoke, yet it is undeniably true that the report that the Sea 
Beggars had taken Den Briel inspired the people of Flush- 
ing with the necessary courage and determination to drive 
away th€ approaching Spanish garrison, to discomfit the 
stadholder of Zeeland, and to chase to Middelburg the 
Walloon garrison, then holding the town. 

Twice had efforts been made to gain over the important 
city of Flushing to the cause of liberty. Twice those efforts 
had failed. The first, in February 1567, by Jan Van Mar- 
nix, Lord of Tholouse, ended in the disaster at Oosterweel, 
near Antwerp. The second, in 1570, by the Sea Beggars, 
had been frustrated by the storm and inundation of All 
Saints' Eve. Alba thereupon intended not only to render 
the town impregnable from without, by considerably strength- 
ening the city's defenses, but also to dominate the citizens 
from within, by building a citadel within the city gates. 
The castle of Antwerp was to be the model for this projected 
Flushing citadel. Alba's famous engineer, the remorseless 
Pacieco, a worthy relative of the oppressor of the Nether- 

157 



158 The Sea Beggars. 

land people, was to be its builder. For this work the city 
of Amsterdam alone had been obliged to contribute the 
enormous sum of two hundred thousand guilders. 

In the latter part of 1571 the work on the citadel was 
begun, but the fortunate departure of Pacieco for another 
field of labor — probably aided by the frost of winter — sus- 
pended its progress. 

At the end of March, 1572, Alba intended to resume work 
upon it, and he sent a large number of pioneers from Flan- 
ders to contmue the excavations. At the same time, the 
duke despatched to the city Scipio Hampi, who was espe- 
cially commissioned to try to make the magistrates and the 
people of Flushing agree to having the company of Walloon 
soldiers — now garrisoning their town — replaced by Span- 
iards. A few days prior to this Alba had written to Beau- 
vois, commander of the Walloon garrison, to assist in getting 
the Spanish soldiers within the city, and thereupon to leave 
with his men for Middelburg. 

Hampi arrived on the 28th of March, and began his 
schemes by telling the people that he had induced the Duke 
of Alba to set aside a considerable amount of money for the 
purpose of strengthening the city's defenses ; at the same 
time he informed those whom he thought he could trust, 
of his secret orders, which were to be carried out as 
soon as the Spanish garrison should have entered the 
city ; namely, that he was to imprison the magistrates that 
had opposed the levying of the tenth-penny tax, and imme- 
diately to enforce its payment. The people were rejoiced 
to learn of Hampi's success regarding the city's defenses, 
and were inclined to trust him. The construction of the 
castle, and the strengthening of the walls, besides contribut- 
ing to the security of the city, would also provide work for 
many. Like other residents of maritime cities, they, too, 



The Revolution at Flushing. 159 

had suffered damage and loss of occupation through the 
activity of the Sea Beggars. 

As if to ascertain the condition of the walls, the wily 
Hampi, on April 3d and 4th, made large breaches in them 
at five different points. At the same time, he informed 
those that desired to take the contract for strengthening the 
city's fortifications, to appear at an appointed day at the 
city hall. These breaches were to serve as additional en- 
trances for the Spanish soldiers, should difficulties with the 
burghers arise ! 

Not satisfied with what he had already accomplished, 
Hampi had the keys of the city gates duplicated, and se- 
cretly dismantled the cannon on the walls. On the fol- 
lowing day he doubled the guards, and, at the same time, 
warned the burghers not to feel alarmed if, at night, they 
should happen to hear any commotion, as it would only be 
a body of soldiers sent to strengthen the garrison. Whether 
the burghers were wholly satisfied or not with this explana- 
tion is not known : but wind and tide were unpropitious, 
and in the night of Saturday, April 5th, 1572, the ships, 
having on board the Spanish troops, were obliged to cast 
anchor outside the harbor. 

That same evening reports began to circulate that the Sea 
Beggars had taken Brielle, and although this knowledge 
might not have saved Flushing, had the Spaniards been able 
to effect a landing during the night, it is certain that the happy 
news exercised a decisive influence upon the events of the 
following day. 

Early in the morning of Easter Sunday, April 6th, 1572, 
a stranger — by his dress and distinguished bearing easily 
recognized as a man of prominence — arrived in a small sail- 
ing vessel, and, upon landing, quietly stationed himself 
within earshot of the crowds gathered on the quay. This 



i6o The Sea Beggars. 

stranger was Jan Van Kuik, Lord of Erpt, who had come to 
Flushing with the express purpose of spreading the news of 
the capture of Briel, and with the intention of persuading 
the people of Flushing to declare themselves for the prince. 

While acting as if also looking at the vessels, which had 
the troops on board, he was really intently listening to the 
conversations around him. These were wholly in regard 
to the vessels outside the harbor, with here and there 
remarks about the Sea Beggars and Den Briel. After hav- 
ing listened closely for some time to the discussions of the 
groups near him, Van Kuik at last joined one group where 
dissatisfaction with present conditions seemed greatest. 
Without hesitation he told of what they already knew — the 
taking of Den Briel. He further informed them that the 
prince was approaching with a powerful army, and, if the 
burghers would only refuse to receive the new garrison, — 
this time consisting of Spaniards, — the prince and the Sea 
Beggars would soon arrive to give them all needed assistance. 
At the same time, he strongly impressed upon their minds 
the use that Alba would make of the castle, when completed. 
The self-confident manner of Van Kuik so impressed the 
people that they immediately took him for an emissary of 
the prince or of the Sea Beggars, and were inclined to 
trust him implicitly. The conversation, duly magnified, and 
the news that an emissary of the Sea Beggars was among 
them, soon spread over all the quay and throughout the 
city, until the entire town was before long earnestly discuss- 
ing the feasibility of repulsing the Spanish soldiers. 

But there was still another force at work among them. 
The parish priest, the reverend Johannis Dirckzen Vos, was 
not only one of the most patriotic Netherlanders, but, for 
personal reasons, entertained a bitter hatred against the 
Spaniards. Two years before they had burnt his brother 



The Revolution at Flushing. i6i 



Arend, the \illage priest of De Lier, at the stake in The 
Hague. His death yet remained unavenged. At early 
mass, that auspicious Easter-morning, the priest had preached 
so eloquently against Spanish tyranny, and had warned his 
parishioners so earnestly against admitting the Spanish 
troops within their gates, that all who had listened to his 
impassioned speech had left the church with the stem resolve 
never to permit a single soldier to enter. Outside the edifice 
the sermon was discussed and repeated, and all firmly 
resolved to act upon their priest's advice. 

And now there came a third incentive to resist ; the strong- 
est, perhaps, of alL Meantime the quartermasters had 
arrived from Arnemuiden, to prepare quarters for the ex- 
pected Spaniards, who, according to the historian Pers, 
numbered seventeen companies. The cit}'- magistrates, 
either through fear or inclination, were willing to accom- 
modate the new garrison, and were soon busily engaged 
with the preparations. But the burghers were differently in- 
clined. The quartermasters had been seen going to the city 
hall, and soon this news also spread through the tow^n. Several 
hundreds of burghers hastened to the cit}- hall, cr}-ing out, 
'• Treason ! Treason ! " at the same time directing one another 
to go and arm at once. Arriving in front of the cit}^ hall, they 
loudly called out that they did not vrant Spaniards, and that 
the magistracy was not to admit them without the consent 
of the burghers. One of the burgomasters w^as foolish 
enough to ask : " If we consent to receive the Spaniards, 
will you be able to prevent us ? " This arrogant question 
tended but to increase the excitement. And the quarter- 
masters not only maltreated some of the burghers, but one 
of them even declared that the people would be obliged not 
only to house and board the soldiers, but would also have 
to consent to the Spaniards taking possession of the burgh- 
II 



/ 



i62 The Sea Beggars. 

ers' wives and daughters 1 This insult almost cost the 
quartermasters their lives, saving themselves only by a pre- 
cipitate flight from the town. 

The tale of what had happened at the city hall was soon 
known over all the town, and every one resolved to keep out 
the insolent Spaniard, at any cost. Thousands sped to the 
bastion, only to find that the cannon there had been dis- 
mantled. Another piece, with as much powder and shot as 
they thought they would need, was forcibly procured from 
the arsenal and conveyed to the bulwark facing the Spanish 
ships. They were not a minute too soon ; the ships had 
already begun to hoist sails and to raise anchors, preparatory 
to making for the harbor. Unfortunately, not one among 
the assembled burghers had any knowledge of loading and 
firing heavy artillery. But a poor drunkard, Joost Nolles, 
— a former Sea Beggar, who, on account of his intemperate 
habits, had been obliged to quit the Beggar Fleet, — was also 
present, half-intoxicated as usual. He knew how to serve 
artillery. And it was time to act too, for the ships were 
already facing the harbor. Soon it would be too late. 
Nolles loaded and aimed the piece, and a cannon ball struck 
the water, dangerously near one of the ships. 

As a reward for his invaluable service poor Nolles was 
presented by Van Kuik with a small sum of money. 

The vessels immediately lowered sail and cast anchor ; 
for, owing to the tide and the contrary wind, they would be 
unable to return. Osorio Angelo, commander of the 
Spanish troops on the vessels, ordered one of the sailors to 
swim to the shore and ask why they fired upon ships that 
carried his royal majesty's troops ? Upon his arrival the 
man most abjectly besought the burghers not to fire again, 
as the ships would depart with the next favorable tide. The 
burghers, much pleased ft their easy victory, not only 



The Revolution at Flushing. 163 

promised to desist if the Spaniards would not try to land, 
but kindly returned the shivering messenger in a rowboat. 
Fear of the consequences induced the Spaniards to keep 
their promise, and as soon as wind and tide served them 
they retreated upon Middelburg. The trouble had now 
begun to grow serious, and the magistrates of Flushing, fearing 
the worst, hastily despatched a messenger to Middelburg 
to request Zeeland's stadholder, the Lord of Wacken, to 
come immediately to their city. Wacken entertained the 
most absurd notions of his own power and influence over 
the people. He believed it would be an easy matter for 
him to silence the mob, to reason with them, or awe them into 
submission. He therefore went without troops and attended 
by only a small body-guard. Arriving at the city hall, he 
ordered the people called to the market-place, where, from 
the balcony, he asked, whether everything they had done was 
reasonable ? The answer came that he himself was the 
cause of it. He then inquired, whether they would prefer 
a Walloon or a German garrison to one composed of 
Spaniards ? To this they repHed : " Neither one nor the 
other ! " 

The stadholder now began to exhort and lecture the 
people. After a while they began to consider his pleadings 
absurd, and loudly laughed at him, calling out : " This is a 
beautiful lamb's-tongue to deliver us up to the wolves ! " 
He then began to threaten ; and several of the more hot- 
headed burghers, thinking he had gone far enough, were 
with difficulty prevented from assaulting him. The result 
was, that the Lord of Wacken, their chief magistrate, deemed 
it prudent to quit the city, trusting to time and the prowess 
of the Spaniards to obtain his revenge for the indignities 
offered to him. He did not, however, return by land, but 
called a small yacht, and was taken to one of the troop-ships. 



164 The Sea Beggars. 

^ Many of the witty and insulting rejoinders to Wacken's 
queries and pleadings were prompted by Van Kuik, Lord of 
Erpt, who had quietly joined the throng in front of the city 
hall. Whenever the stadholder seemed to make a favor- 
able impression, Van Kuik had a sarcastic remark or an ap- 
propriate answer ready, audible to those around him, which 
was certain to be taken up by those standing near, and, 
in loud tones, was hurled at the speaker upon the balcony. 

Meantime the Walloon garrison had to be attended to, 
although it was really too weak to offer much resistance, and 
most of the soldiers had not even left their quarters. Beau- 
vois, their commander, believed if he could only gain time 
he might be able to save the city for his master. He there- 
fore spoke as if he greatly approved of the conduct of the 
burghers in repelling the Spaniards, and hoped that he and 
his soldiers would be permitted to stay. But the people of 
Flushing, not to be caught by so transparent a ruse, ordered 
the Walloon garrison to depart at once. Beauvois was given 
two days to adjust his affairs, then compelled to go also. 

The burghers now mounted guard in place of the soldiers, 
demolished the partly-built walls of the castle, repaired the 
breaks in the city walls, remounted the cannon — and Flush- 
ing became free ! To complete the work of liberation, the 
magistracy was changed ; a civic guard was immediately 
formed, divided into four companies, and a captain and 
officers were elected for each company. An armed guard- 
ship was stationed in the harbor, to be ready for any sur- 
prise from the sea-side. 

Messengers were now sent out. Van Kuik took it upon 
himself to acquaint the Sea Beggars at Den Briel with the 
event and to request reinforcements. At the same time he 
sent a messenger from Dordrecht to the prince at Dillenburg. 
Other messengers were sent to England to spread the happy 



The Revolution at Flushing. 165 

news among the exiles there, and to request assistance in 
men and money. 

But about the time of the departure of these messengers 
for England, some timid people, fearing the return of the 
Spaniards, and the revenge of the Duke of Alba, left the 
city in a number of fishing-smacks, intending to seek a safe 
retreat in England. Near the headland of Dover the fugi- 
tives met De Ryck, just returning from England with rein- 
forcements for Den Briel. When he learned of Flushing's 
liberation and the need of immediate assistance there, he 
assembled a council of war, and resolved to sail for Flushing 
instead of Den Briel. This plunged him into trouble with 
the imperious Lumey, who would have made De Ryck suffer 
the death penalty for this breach of discipline had it been 
possible. The admiral of the Sea Beggars had to be satis- 
fied with ineffectually ordering De Ryck's arrest, and pub- 
licly denouncing him as a mutineer and deserter of his 
standard. 

De Ryck arrived at Flushing before April loth, and this 
valuable addition to the number of Flushing's defenders 
calmed the fears of the people. On April 8th, two days after 
the great event, a body of two hundred men arrived from 
places nearby, thus increasing the forces of Flushing's de- 
fenders. As soon as the news spread far and wide, numbers 
of adventurous spirits arrived from among the exiles in Ger- 
many and England, from Flanders, and even from far-away 
La Rochelle, ready to defend with their lives the newly- 
acquired freedom of Flushing. 

From Den Briel, however, no speedy assistance was to be 
expected. In case of a fresh assault by the Spaniards, 
Lumey would need all his available men ; besides, several 
had left the place for a cruise in the waters of Friesland and 
of North and South Holland. As soon as the Sea Beggars 



1 66 



The Sea Beggars. 



at Brielle had been sufficiently reinforced, and no danger of 
a speedy return of the Spanish hosts was perceived, their 
admiral despatched some of the Beggars' ships under Blois 
Van Treslong to Flushing. Most of the crews, however, 
were raw recruits, who had to be armed upon their arrival. 
On April 20th Treslong cast anchor before Flushing. Now 
the burghers felt doubly safe. They were certain that with 
the Sea Beggars among them they would be able to resist any 
attack. The cry " The Beggars have come ! " invited thou- 
sands to the harbor, and all did their utmost to show their 
heartfelt appreciation and joy upon meeting the men that 
were thought to be the conquerors and gallant defenders of 
Den Briel. 

Still the authorities of Flushing were not quite satisfied 
with the assistance that they had so opportunely received 
from all directions. With an eye to their own safety, and in 
view of the great efforts they intended to make to gain over 
the entire Island of Walcheren, they addressed the following 
letter to the headquarters of the Netherland exiles in Eng- 
land : 

" We doubt not but that you have heard the rumor of what 
we have done with our people against the Spanish garrison. 
It is most certainly a great favor of God that we found so 
good an opportunity to execute our business well, but it is a 
yet greater favor that this attempt succeeded so well that — 
a few unwilling burghers excepted — we have thus repulsed 
the Spaniards, so that they could not overpower our city. 
However, we shall not think that we have gained a complete 
victory until we shall have received assistance. For the 
Spaniards, as you will easily understand, will move heaven 
and earth, and use every means, to attack us unexpectedly, 
or to trap us by a ruse, and thus again get us into their 
power. Nearly every one among us is favorable to the 



The Revolution at Flushing. 167 

liberty of the country, but large sums of money are needed, 
and most people are slow to contribute anything. It will be 
your duty, and we pray you most earnestly, not to ignore our 
needs, as this event tends to the glory of God, the honor of 
the king, and the common well-being of the Netherlanders. 
We promise to take care that the city shall stand security 
for the money that you will send us, and that the same shall 
be repaid to you as soon as quiet and peace shall have been 
restored. 

" We have admitted the prince's soldiers [the Sea Beggars] 
into our city, partly for the sake of greater safety, partly 
that no one shall think that we intend to undertake any- 
thing against the king. The people of Veer, and the country 
people, have publicly offered us assistance, but those of 
Middelburg are still in submission to the Spanish garrison. 
With the help of God we expect to have little trouble in 
teaching that city its duty, if you, and others who are inter- 
ested in it, will only assist us with soldiers and money ; and 
we feel assured that you will very willingly do so. 

" We would prefer a small number of soldiers, if they be 
only loyal and experienced in warfare, and not inclined to 
piracy. 

" As to the other events here, you will be fully informed 
by Joost Faes, who is known to you, and of whose faithful 
services we have availed ourselves in many instances. 

" Farewell, and pray God that He may bless and steady 
our enterprise. 

Flushing, April 26th, 1572. 

Your Loving Friends the Magistrates and Captains 
of the Flushing People." 

A few days after Flushing had cast off the Spanish yoke, 
Alba's nephew — Don Fernando Pacieco — the architect of 



N 



i68 The Sea Beggars. 

the citadel, entered the harbor. He did not know that 
Flushing had left the side of the Spaniards, and the fog had 
prevented him from seeing the prince's colors upon the city- 
tower. He had been making a tour of inspection of the 
Zeeland waters and harbors, and possibly was sent by Alba 
to supervise the further construction of the castle. 

As soon as he was landed and the people had recognized 
him, they clamored for his life. He was obnoxious to 
every Netherlander not only because he was Alba's kins- 
man, but owing to the detestation they felt toward him for 
his shameful conduct w^hile governor of Deventer. 

Fortunately for the Spanish party, De Ryck, who had 
just arrived from England, was close at hand, and to him 
the Spaniards surrendered ; not, however, before Pacieco 
had been severely wounded about the head. While being 
conducted to the city hall the revengeful people still en- 
deavored to tear the Spaniard from his guard and throw 
him into the water. The guard was obliged to take shelter 
in the house of a citizen, when the street was immediately 
closed. Late at night, when most of the people had gone 
home, the guard found an opportunity to convey the Span- 
iards to the city prison. 

Day after day the people demanded the death of the 
Spanish prisoners, but for more than two weeks longer the 
magistrates succeeded in saving them. Then the fateful 
2oth day of April arrived, and, with the entrance on that day 
of Treslong and his two hundred Sea Beggars, the prisoners 
were doomed ; the Beggar chief craved revenge for his 
brother's execution. 

On April 29th, 1572, Pacieco and his two companions 
were sentenced to die the death they had bestowed upon so 
many innocent Netherlanders, and before nightfall their in- 
animate bodies were dangling from the gallows. The city 



The Revolution at Flushing. 169 

of Deventer, Flushing's parish priest, and the Sea Beggar 
Treslong all won their revenge. 

Affairs at Flushing had kept on improving. A partisan 
of the prince — a rich merchant at Antwerp, Jelis Hooftman 
— had, at the request of Flushing's admiral, Ewout Pietersz 
Worst, provided the city with a large quantity of ammuni- 
tion and other necessaries of war. He also advanced money 
for further equipments, and within four months after the 
casting off of the yoke Flushing possessed a fleet of a 
hundred and fifty small but sufficiently-manned and well- 
equipped ships. The people of Flushing were now able to 
take the offensive, and to attack the Spaniard in his securest 
strongholds. 



\ 



1 



Chapter Three. 

The Change at Veer. 

LYN TAYEN and Koeyevleesch, two fishermen of 
Der Veer, or Veere, on the northeast coast of the 
Island of Walcheren, had been imprisoned in Den 
Briel, but were liberated without a ransom and 
their vessels restored to them by the Sea Beggars when the 
latter captured that city. Upon their return to Veer these 
two fishermen were full of praise for the prowess of the Sea 
Beggars ; for their generosity, and for their partiality for the 
fishermen. They further contrasted the Spanish tyranny 
with the condition of affairs that they had just witnessed at 
Brielle, and strongly advocated a change in favor of the 
prince and his valiant Sea Beggars. 

Furthermore, the prince himself had already written to 
the city authorities about taking part with him, and the gal- 
lant act of Flushing, only a few miles distant, was freely dis- 
cussed among Veer's burghers. The people of this small 
but very important Zeeland town were slowly being pre- 
pared for the momentous change, and when the opportune 
time arrived they were ready to take the step and accept all 
the consequences attending it. 

On Friday, May 2d, 1572, the Beggar Chief Jeronymus 
Tseraerts, accompanied by Van Erpt, departed with sixty 
men from Flushing, for the purpose of demanding the sur- 
render of Veer. The men were ordered to wait before the 

closed gate, but Tseraerts and Van Erpt received permission 

170 



The Change at Veer. 171 

to enter and to treat with the authorities at the cit}^ hall. 
The magistrates, chiefly from fear of Spanish revenge, de- 
cided not to commit their city to the prince. Tseraerts and 
his little band of sixt}^ returned to Flushing. But not so the 
Lord of Erpt. This bold and determined partisan of liberty 
and progress resolved to do what he had done at Flushing, 
and to free Veer with the assistance of its own citizens. 

He took up his quarters at one of the principal inns in 
the city, inviting the fishermen to come and see him there 
and have a conversation with him. They came. The re- 
sult of the conversation was that they resolved to ignore 
their timid magistrates, and to take matters into their own 
hands. But they needed the assistance of a few soldiers. 
In the middle of the nio:ht a messens^er on horseback was 
despatched to Flushing, and, with the dawn of day, on May 
3d, 1572, Captain Jeannin and forty Frenchmen of La Ro- 
chelle were at the city gate, demanding admission. At the 
same time, the fishermen opened the gate by force, the sol- 
diers entered — and Veer was free. 

The bailiff of the town, Yonker Jeronymus Rolle, and his 
Spanish partisans in the city council, did not know how to 
act at first. They had been taken by surprise. Jeannin 
and his men were assigned quarters in the church by the 
authorities. But the soldiers had hardly entered when the 
church doors were locked upon them : Jeannin and his little 
band were prisoners. A messenger was now hurriedly sent 
by Rolle to Middelburg, but an hour's walk distant. The 
burghers also sent immediately to Flushing for help. 

The Spaniards, sent from Middelburg, arrived at Zandyk 
as the Sea Beggars under De Ryck from Flushing arrived at 
the Zuyderhoofd ; here the latter were awaited and strength- 
ened by a large number of well-armed fishermen of Veer. As 
soon as De Ryck had been informed of the presence of the 



i72 The Sea Beggars. 

Spaniards at Zandyk, he rushed out of the city gate, unex- 
pectedly attacked the Spanish force, and after a brief, 
sanguinary battle totally defeated and pursued them till 
under the walls of Middelburg. Exhausted with their long 
fight and pursuit of the enemy, the victors returned late at 
night to Veer, only to find the gates closed again, and ad- 
mission refused them. Some of the fishermen, however, 
knew of a secret passage into the city. They entered, woke 
their sleeping fellow-townsmen, again opened the gate by 
force, and admitted De Ryck and his heroic followers. 

Their first work was now to free Jeannin and his French- 
men ; their next to secure Rolle. The latter, however, an- 
ticipating his would-be captors, had jumped into a fishing- 
smack and escaped in the direction of Middelburg. The 
pursuers immediately followed and overtook him. Con- 
ducted to the city hall, he, as well as the rest of the magis- 
trates, swore allegiance to the prince as the king's stadholder 
of Holland and Zeeland, and all were reinstated in their offices. 

Rolle afterward became admiral of Veer, and in this 
capacity was one of the most active and successful partisans 
of William the Silent. 

Here also the Sea Beggars under De Ryck, during the 
desultory Spanish attacks against the city, rendered the 
greatest assistance, and did much to help in saving Veer, 
especially on May loth, when, through the treason of two 
citizens, the town was nearly surprised by the Spaniards 
from Middelburg. The attempt was fortunately discovered 
in time, and the traitors executed in full view of the Spaniards, 
who thereupon hanged, in the orchards surrounding the 
town, every burgher of Veer that they had captured. The 
people of Veer again retaliated by forthwith hanging every 
Spaniard that they had captured, or drowning them in the 
river Scheldt. 



The Change at Veer. 173 

Veer now was not only free but wished also to assist 
others in the struggle for liberty. On May 2 2d, during the 
siege of Middelburg, they sent their admiral, Bastian De 
Lange, to assist the Flushing Beggars under Worst. Four 
Spanish vessels attacked his ship, and De Lange, with defeat 
and imprisonment or worse staring him in the face, set fire 
to his gunpowder, blew up his ship and crew, and destroyed 
his Spanish assailants. 

About this time Van Kuik's earlier mission began to bear 
fruit for the city. The people of Veer had sent him to 
Norwich to ask the exiles there for immediate assistance 
both in men and money, principally to meet Alba's military 
preparations in Brabant. In response, a company of English 
mercenaries, under Captain Morgan, and of Scotch, under Cap- 
tain Balfour, were sent over. To these Tseraerts, who had 
been appointed stadholder of Walcheren by the prince, added 
one or two companies of Frenchmen. They did not arrive 
any too soon. Hardly had they found time to acquaint 
themselves a little with the situation of the city and the sur- 
rounding country, when a strong body of Spanish troops 
landed at the Haak — not far from Veer — and marched along 
the Polderdyk toward the north side of the city, where there 
were no fortifications. Upon being informed of the enemy's 
approach, the defenders hastily threw up intrenchments 
of fish-barrels and casks — for which reason this quarter of 
the city was long known as Tonnenburg or Caskborough. 
The crude defenses, however, were no barrier against Span- 
ish prowess. The Spaniards forced a passage, and, thinking 
they had already captured the city, began to kill and 
plunder. 

De Ryck, however, at the head of his company of 
Sea Beggars, did not despair. Remembering, too, Treslong's 
successful attempt to burn the vessels of the Spanish assail- 



1 74 The Sea Beggars. 

ants of Den Briel in the Bornisse, he resolved to duplicate 
the feat. The flow of the ebb would greatly facilitate an 
attack against the Spanish ships, anchoring before the Haak. 
Abandoning, then, the defense of the city to the soldiers, 
the Beggar captain withdrew as many of his men and of the 
fishermen as he thought he would need ; shipped them on a 
number of fishing-smacks and sloops lying in the harbor, 
and after having taken on board as many combustibles and 
as much inflammable material as could be hurriedly gathered, 
he floated with the tide to the Spanish vessels. 

The slight resistance met with here was soon overcome, 
the ships were set on fire, and when the Spaniards perceived 
the smoke and flame arising from their vessels, their courage 
was paralyzed. The garrison, on the other hand, whose 
courage had much increased upon beholding the flames, re- 
newed their attacks. The Spaniards fled, behind them De 
Ryck and his men in full pursuit, having just landed on the 
dyke that the Spaniards had followed in their precipitate es- 
cape to Middelburg. This futile attack cost the Spaniards 
between six hundred and seven hundred men. Owing to the 
havoc they wrought among the enemy's forces, De Ryck's 
company, from this time on, was known as the " Bloody 
Company." As a reward for his great services to the city 
on this and on other occasions, De Ryck was appointed 
Admiral of Veer by the grateful people, and his " Bloody 
Company " permanently taken into the pay of the city. In 
his capacity of admiral the noble Sea Beggar was now in a 
position to render, further, many an invaluable service to the 
cause of his country's freedom. 



Chapter Four. 

Zierikzee Lost and Regained. 

As soon as Alba had recovered from the effects of 
the discouraging news of the fall of Briel and the 
repulse of the Spanish troops at Flushing, he at 
once began to devise means by which he could 
regain that which he had lost, and to prevent losing what 
he still possessed. 

For the first purpose he gathered an army at Bergen op 
Zoom, having concentrated there as many troops as could be 
spared from the various garrisons. For the second purpose 
he addressed letters to the magistrates of the principal cities, 
asking whether they did not deem it prudent to receive royal 
garrisons instead of entrusting the defense of their walls to 
their own citizens. The wily Spaniard trusted to the well- 
known pro-Spanish proclivities of the magistracies of those 
cities. They could gain nothing by embracing the cause of 
liberty, but would, on the contrary, lose everything should 
they thwart Alba, and should the powerful hosts of Spain in 
the Netherlands be afterward victorious. 

The magistracy of Zierikzee — then a prosperous commer- 
cial, fishing and shipbuilding town of about 15,000 inhabitants, 
on the Island of Schouwen in the province of Zeeland — had, 
on April 23d, received a similar letter from the duke, and, 
for the purpose of discussing its contents, the city council, 
two days later, convened at the city hall. 

The burgomaster, a very rich man, was a strong partisan 

175 



176 The Sea Beggars. 

of Spain, from motives of self-interest. The bailiff, who had 
been Alba's barber, had been promoted to his high position 
by Alba's intercession, and could be relied on not to under- 
take or advise anything contrary to Spanish interests. The 
great majority among the councilors were either stanch 
supporters of the royal authority or were too timid to indi- 
cate their real convictions by a dissenting vote. 

Only one among the members — Lieven Jans Boheym, — 
alias Kaarsemaker — advised against receiving any Spanish 
soldiers. He pointed to the many difficulties they had form- 
erly had with the royal garrisons, and he argued that, since 
so many hundreds among their own burghers had been 
thrown out of employment through the troublous times, it 
would be bad policy to inflict upon their city a horde of ra- 
pacious alien soldiers. Much better would it be for the town 
to equip a few companies of city-guards from among their 
own idle burghers, who would then be furnished with the 
means to provide for their families, several of whom were suf- 
fering because of the enforced idleness of the breadwinners. 

The burgomaster, however, answered his objections by 
dwelling upon Alba's resentment in case of their refusal, and 
by pointing out the defenseless condition of the city, the 
boldness of the Sea Beggars, and the impossibility of ridding 
the waters of their unwelcome presence. 

The resolution in favor of receiving a garrison was carried 
with only one dissenting vote, and Alba was to be requested 
to protect the city by sending royal troops. Before separat- 
ing, however, the members of the city council promised 
under oath not to divulge the contents of the resolution. 
They feared its influence upon the people, and also deemed 
it prudent to surprise them. 

Fortunately there lived in the town a man, Jan Rombouts 
by name — an attorney at law — who could not be deceived. 



Zierikzee Lost and Regained. 177 

He was not only an ardent patriot, but also stood in secret 
relation with the Sea Beggars. He had but just returned 
from Flushing, where Treslong had assured him that the Sea 
Beggars would not molest the ships of Zierikzee, if the city 
would only remain neutral and not receive a royal garrison. 

Rombouts took care to spread this intelligence among the 
people, and also to obtain, by adroit questioning of a member 
of the magistracy, not altogether sober, information about 
the decision of the city council regarding the admitting of 
soldiers. It was already surmised, as it had been rumored 
a few days after the decision, that the burgomaster and sev- 
eral wealthy residents of the city had begun to put much of 
their jewelry into safe hiding-places. 

As soon, therefore, as it was positively known Zierikzee 
was to receive a royal garrison, several hundreds of burghers, 
consisting principally of fishermen, sailors, ship-carpenters, 
wood-sawyers, sailmakers, and other people connected with 
the sea and a seafaring life, congregated in front of the South 
harbor gate. When the magistrates appeared on the spot, 
for the purpose of quieting the multitude, they were greeted 
with cries emanating from many hundreds of strong lungs : 
" No soldiers ! No garrison ! " 

With great difficulty the magistrates induced the people to 
appoint delegates from among them to discuss the matter at 
the city hall. The assembled burghers selected four delegates, 
one of them being Jan Rombouts, the attorney. He was to 
be the spokesman. To better hands the matter could not 
have been entrusted. 

As soon as he appeared at the city hall, the thousands 
of armed burghers waiting below, ready to support him in all 
of his demands, Rombouts required of the city council that 
the burghers should be immediately mustered into companies. 
They were, moreover, to have the right to elect their own 
12 



178 The Sea Beggars. 

commander, whom every one, even the magistrates them- 
selves, should obey. The magistrates, at the same time, 
were to promise under oath that they would do everything in 
their power to prevent the alien soldiery from entering the 
city's gates. 

The single condition that the magistrates ventured and 
were permitted to make was that a member of the magis- 
tracy should be elected military commander. Thus they 
imagined that they would be able to retain the power in 
their own hands, and that when the time for action came, 
they would still prevail. 

To their astonishment Rombouts readily consented to this 
proposal, and, upon his advice, the people consented too, 
though less readily. 

Rombouts hereupon proposed Kaarsemaker as commander 
of the burgher forces, and the thousands of strong-voiced 
men answered as in chorus : " Long life to Kaarsemaker ! 
Kaarsemaker be our captain ! " Again the burgomaster and 
his pro-Spanish sympathizers had been foiled ! 

Kaarsemaker now received the keys of the five city-gates 
and of the arsenal. From this time the city was guarded by 
its own burghers, to the exclusion of the company of pike- 
bearers and other mercenaries whom the magistrates had 
enlisted, and whose officers also had been appointed by and 
were dependent upon the city council. With the help of 
these mercenaries, the magistrates under any circumstances 
expected to be able in due time to gain their ends. 

Now the Beggar songs freely resounded through the 
streets of this most ancient of Zeeland's towns. No more 
prisons yawned, no more racks waited for any one bold 
enough to sing the praise of his nation's heroes. The vic- 
tory gained by the Sea Beggars at Briel had paved the way 
for the freedom of Zierikzee. 



Zierikzee Lost and Regained. 179 

The city authorities had informed Alba that they would 
gladly receive the protection of a royal garrison. They had 
not written to the duke about the unexpected self-assertion 
of the popular will, trusting to circumstances, and to violence 
if need be, to open the way for the Spanish soldiers. 

Early in the morning of May 7th, 1572, the ships convey, 
ing the Spanish garrison were sighted, and soon the news 
spread over all the town. 

Immediately the court messenger was ordered to summon 
the city council. He was, however, to direct Kaarsemaker 
to appear half an hour later than the others, in order to de- 
vise means by which to keep him away from the people, 
who would then have no leader, and also to get the Spaniards 
within the town. The ruse, however, ingeniously conceived 
as it was, was frustrated at the last moment ; even if it had 
succeeded it would not have benefited just then the cause of 
Spain. 

To the astonisment of every one the ships passed the 
harbor. The people already congratulated each other, think- 
ing that the bailiff, who had sought safety in flight on board 
of the Spanish vessels after the trick to be played on Kaarse- 
maker had been discovered, had told the commander of 
the state of affairs in the town, and advised him not to pro- 
ceed. The truth of the matter was that the Spanish com- 
mander had orders first to land a part of his troops upon 
the Island of Walcheren, opposite, and then to return to Zierik- 
zee with the rest. 

On the evening of May 7th, 1572, sorrow reigned in the 
house of Kaarsemaker, the commander of the Zierikzee 
burgher-guard. One of his children had just died ; another 
was struggling with death. The wife and mother, fearing 
that her husband might be called away, had given strict orders 
to the servant not to deliver any messages for him. 



/ 



i8o The Sea Beggars. 

The fishermen and sailors that kept guard upon the jetty, 
about two miles distant from the town, had seen the Spanish 
ships return. They were thirty in number, and made 
straight for the harbor. At dawn, word of the enemy's ap- 
proach was immediately sent to the city and to Kaarsemaker. 
Thousands of excited but determined people soon filled the 
streets. Several times the knocker on Kaarsemaker's door 
had been sounded, but no message for him had been deliv- 
ered ; the people outside, knowing of his bereavement and 
affliction, respected his sorrow. They did not want to in- 
trude upon him, but the city was in danger, and in the 
opinion of the people he was the only man able to save 
them. Their several messages, it was evident, had failed to 
reach him, and he must be made acquainted with the dan- 
ger and the news that thousands of his townspeople were 
waiting to be led by him. 

It was now after three o'clock in the morning and the 
ships would soon arrive. At last, one among the waiting 
throng proposed to inform him of their presence by the sing- 
ing of that thrilling battle hymn of the Sea Beggars : 

" Wilhelmus of Nassau." 

The mighty sound of thousands of voices was wafted 
over to Kaarsemaker among his dead and dying, and now 
the situation became known to him. Vox populi, Vox Dei. 

He buckled on his armor, took leave of his sorrowing wife, 
and, with bleeding heart, resolved to perform his duty as a 
citizen and as the chosen leader of his fellow-townsmen. 
He then joined the waiting multitude upon the wide square 
facing his house. 

Out of sympathy with his great sorrow he was re- 
ceived with a respectful silence, and the condition of affairs 
briefly explained. Immediately the majority of the armed 



Zierikzee Lost and Regained. i8i 

burghers present hastened to the entrance of the harbor. 
They arrived not one minute too soon. Upon Kaarsemaker's 
arrival seven of the ships had already disembarked their 
troops, and the watchers, in the absence of their leader, had 
been at loss how to act. 

Fortunately the commander of the disembarked Spanish 
troops, uncertain of the reception to be accorded him by the 
townspeople, had not ventured to march ahead, but had 
resolved to await the arrival of the other ships, which were 
fast approaching. 

Kaarsemaker, meanwhile, first convinced himself that all 
the cannon at the entrance of the harbor — nine in number — 
were still loaded. He then ordered water to be poured over 
the jetty and the dyke in its immediate neighborhood to 
prevent the Spaniards from setting fire to them. He then 
manned some of the largest fishing-boats lying near, with 
well-armed fishermen and sailors, selected a detachment of 
seventeen sharpshooters from among the burgher-guard, 
and approached the Spanish soldiers. 

Their commander, Henry Tseraerts, a brother of the Sea 
Beggar, unlike the latter, had joined his country's enemies. 
Kaarsemaker ordered Tseraerts to reembark his troops 
immediately. Tseraerts replied that he was there by virtue 
of a request made to him by the bailiff, upon the authority 
of the city magistrates. Kaarsemaker answered that this 
was an invention, as the bailiff had yesterday suddenly quit 
the island without having been authorized to make such a 
request. Tseraerts thereupon said that it was in accordance 
with an earlier petition for a garrison by the city magistrates, 
and that the Duke of Alba had given him explicit orders to 
occupy the town. 

Kaarsemaker, disinclined to parley further, now ordered 
Tseraerts to embark his troops immediately ; he himself was 



i82 The Sea Beggars. 

the only one in command at present. The Spanish officer 
thereupon repUed that he perceived it was time to protect 
Zierikzee against the rebels and the Beggars, but that for 
the sake of preventing difficulties, he would submit and 
await further orders. 

There was, however, little wind, and the current was too 
strong ; besides, several Beggar ships were anchored out- 
side, near Katshoeck. Tseraerts, therefore, asked to be 
permitted to sail with the current into the Gouwe, a small 
stream passing by the city ; the Spanish commander well 
knew that once in the Gouwe, the city would be at his mercy. 
And Kaarsemaker knew it too. He not only refused, 
but ordered the immediate embarkation of the troops, who 
could then, riding at anchor in the river Scheldt, wait for 
the turn of the tide at a reasonable distance from the 
harbor. 

Tseraerts now went on board one of the other ships, which 
had just arrived. But he delayed the embarkation of his 
troops. He evidently wanted to gain time. The other ships 
also approached and made straight for the harbor. The 
people were now in a dangerous situation, between two fires, 
— that of the approaching ships, and of the landed troops. 

Kaarsemaker quickly divided his forces into two divi- 
sions. The sailors and the fishermen, under the leadership 
of the captain of their guild, Lieven Heere, were to attack 
the ships. He himself, with a part of the civic guards and 
the other burghers, would attend to the landed troops. 
Another body had been detached to serve and to protect the 
heavy artillery. 

Now the cannon at the entrance of the harbor began to 
play on the approaching vessels. The landed troops, hree 
hundred strong, also came in for their share. They marched 
at double quick, not only for the purpose of escaping the 



Zierikzee Lost and Regained. 183 

scathing fire, but also to meet the burghers, who were mov- 
ing against them. As long as they did not close in upon 
one another the well-directed musket-fire of the Spanish 
veterans made sad havoc in the ranks of the burghers. But 
scarcely had they come to close quarters, when the strong, 
long knives, the daggers and the axes of the citizen soldiers, 
and especially their superiorit}'' of numbers began to tell 
against the clumsily-armed and equipped Spaniards. For 
every burgher that fell there was another ready to take 
his place, and within an hour after the battle began, of more 
than three hundred Spanish soldiers that had set foot on the 
Island of Schouwen, not one was left unhurt. Quarter had 
been neither asked nor granted on either side ; it had been 
a life and death struggle. 

After this bloody victor}', Kaarsemaker and the remnant 
of his gallant burghers turned their attention to the condi- 
tion of affairs on the jetty. Three of the approaching ships 
had been sunk, and only lack of ammunition on the jetty 
saved the others, whose crews now did their utmost to 
change their course and to make their escape. But the 
elated victors were in no mood to permit the fleeing Span- 
iards to escape so easily. 

Many fishing-boats and smacks were moored to the dyke, 
and landsmen, as well as fishermen and sailors, importuned 
Kaarsemaker to lead them on against the ships. But the 
hero believed enough blood had been spilt. The people 
persevered, however, and at last he consented. Part of the 
force remained behind to attend to the Spaniards that should 
tr}- to escape from the ships to the shore. Hundreds of 
others filled the boats, and, propelled by sail and oar, soon 
overtook the slowly-moving Spanish transports. These were 
immediately boarded. 

A terrible battle now ensued, in which the nimble and 



184 The Sea Beggars. 

lightly-equipped Zeelanders had, in nearly every instance, 
advantage over the heavily-armed Spaniards, who, fighting 
on unaccustomed ground, were no match for the undisci- 
plined sailors and burghers. 

After a stubbornly prolonged and bloody battle, the Span- 
iards at last perceived that they were vanquished. Too 
proud, however, to ask for quarter that they knew would not 
be granted, they fought on to the last, or else jumped over- 
board, some drowning, and others killed by the men in the 
boats. At nine o'clock in the morning the victory was com- 
plete ; the conquered ships were taken into the harbor, and 
the city was safe. 

But safe for a while only. 

The victory, though barren of permanent results so far as 
Zierikzee was concerned, was of far-reaching consequences 
for Vlissingen and Veer. The loss of more than twenty 
vessels — among them five large warships and perhaps a 
thousand men — embarrassed Alba very much in his imme- 
diate attempts to relieve Middelburg. It also afforded the 
besiegers time and opportunity to fortify their works and to 
augment the number of men that were attacking Zeeland's 
capital. 

The people of Zierikzee had made a great mistake in not 
changing their magistrates, or, at least, their presiding 
burgomaster. A few days after the great victory, these 
magistrates succeeded, on May 12th, through a ruse, in 
smuggling into the city three companies of Spanish sol- 
diers, thus securing the town against the Sea Beggars. 

But now the magistrates wanted their revenge upon 
Kaarsemaker. Happily he was warned in time, and, with 
the assistance of his friends among the fishers' guild, he 
escaped with his life, but also lost everything, his property 
being immediately confiscated and sold. On July 3d he 



Zierikzee Lost and Regained. 185 

arrived safely at Hattingen, in the camp of the prince, who 
afterward honored him with several important offices and 
missions. And only the feebleness of the Spanish garrison, 
and the determined character of the city's population, saved 
Zierikzee from the horrible fate of Valenciennes, Rotterdam, 
and Mechelen. 

The Sea Beggars, who were blockading the mouths of 
the river Scheldt, as well as every other important stream, 
now harassed the shipping and fisheries of Zierikzee, and thus, 
as a reward for the loyalty of their magistrates, a large part 
of the burghers were again prevented from earning their 
living. 

The city of Zierikzee, dominating as it did the Islands of 
Schouwen and Duiveland, was too important a stronghold 
to permit the Spaniards the undisputed possession of it 
and the Sea Beggars now resolved to take the matter in 
hand. 

First, the city magistrates received letters from Veer, 
issued by Jerome De Rolle, requesting them to take the side 
of the prince. But the presence of the garrison, as well as 
the personal fear of losing all their property should the 
Spaniards return and be victorious, induced the magistracy 
of Zierikzee, in opposition to the expressed desire of the 
great majority of the people, to remain loyal to the King of 
Spain. On July 31st, and again on August 4th and 5th, the 
great council not only formally refused every request of a 
like nature, made by their neighbors of Veer, but also re- 
solved to go to the expense of further strengthening their 
already strong defenses. 

Realizing this, the commanders of the Sea Beggars on 
the Island of Walcheren decided to parley no longer. On 
August 7th De Ryck and his now famous " Bloody Com- 
pany," attended by Jeannin, Kloot, Haverschot, and Men- 



1 86 The Sea Beggars. 

ning, left Walcheren with their troops in twenty ships, and 
disembarked at the entrance of the harbor, long famous for 
the bloody victory of May 8th. 

The Beggars were speedily confronted by a part of the 
Spanish garrison under Renax, armed with one field-piece. 
For De Ryck and his Beggars to force them back into the 
city was not a difficult thing to do. 

The Beggars thereupon took and occupied the Zelke, a 
high artificial hill of ashes from the salt-refineries ; planted 
their cannon along its slope and upon its top, and so abso- 
lutely commanded the city and its entrances, that further 
defense was impossible. Moreover, the burghers of Zierik- 
zee were on the side of the besiegers, and a well-grounded 
fear existed that they would shut the gates behind them 
should the garrison attack in force the besiegers. A few 
well-directed shots from the Zelke, some weak and useless 
sallies by the garrison, and early in the morning of August 
8th, 1572, the Beggar victory was complete, and the city 
capitulated to the prince as the king's stadholder of Hol- 
land and Zeeland. The garrison was permitted to leave 
the city carrying their swords only. Other arms, with 
the ammunition, were to be sent after them to Tholen, on 
their march to Bergen op Zoom — the Spanish headquarters 
for Zeeland and neighboring provinces. 

So well pleased were the people of Zierikzee with the 
capture of their city, and so grateful were they to De Ryck, 
that the burghers, through their newly-elected city council, 
presented him with a gold chain, costing a hundred angel ots, 
or two hundred and forty dollars in American money. 

From that time the people of Zierikzee unreservedly cast 
in their lot with the Sea Beggars. Their ships, under the ad- 
miral of Zierikzee, — Adriaan Willemsz, — immediately joined 
the forces engaged in the reduction of the capital of their 



Zierikzee Lost and Regained. 187 

province. And after the city of Middelburg had succumbed 
to the united efforts of the Zeeland towns, the sailors of 
Zierikzee, a few months later, took an honorable part in the 
relief of Leyden, then undergoing a siege. 



Chapter Five. 

The Cities North of the Y. 

A. Enkhuizen. 

ENKHUIZEN, situated at the entrance of the 
Zuiderzee, was the second town to throw off 
the Spanish yoke, Flushing having been the 
first. 
Enkhuizen was a city of great importance ; less on 
account of its size than that it dominated the navigation 
of the Zuiderzee. Thus it was in a position to cause 
incalculable damage to the commerce and shipping of Am- 
sterdam, whose ships were obliged to pass Enkhuizen, going 
or returning from abroad. From the very beginning the 
Sea Beggars had had their eyes upon this city, desiring to 
convert it into a northern La Rochelle ; while the Spaniards, 
for the same reasons, were anxious to keep possession of it. 
Strange to say, however, neither the Duke of Alba 
nor his stadholder of Holland, Count Bossu, had ever 
deemed it necessary to station a permanent garrison there, 
thinking, perhaps, that the presence of the Zuiderzee squad- 
ron of the fleet was sufficient protection. Only once in a 
while, when the Sea Beggars in the Vlie became too bold or 
were too numerous, were a few companies of Spanish troops 
temporarily stationed at Enkhuizen, as also in a few neigh- 
boring towns ; but hardly had the danger passed when the 
garrisons were again withdrawn. 
188 



The Cities North of the Y. 189 

But the lessons taught by the loss of Den Briel and the 
Zeeland towns had not been lost on Alba. He now resolved 
to provide those maritime cities — likely to become the butt of 
Beggar assaults — with permanent garrisons. Enkhuizen was 
to be one of them. 

Alba had ordered his vice-admiral, Boshuizen, to equip a 
fleet of twenty ships at Amsterdam, Hoorn, and Enkhuizen, 
ostensibly to endeavor to wrest Den Briel from the Sea Beg- 
gars. The ships were to meet before Enkhuizen, and 
Boshuizen, who had been ordered to embark a body of 
Spanish soldiers at Amsterdam, was to cast anchor in the 
roadstead of Enkhuizen, under pretext of taking in provi- 
sions, but really to throw a garrison into the town. For the 
purpose of facilitating matters, and to allay suspicion, the 
admiral sent at various times large bodies of sailors into the 
town, ostensibly to buy provisions. The burghers, however, 
always on their guard, were careful not to admit too many 
sailors at a time. Their caution naturally elicited angry 
protests from Boshuizen. But his protests availed him 
nothing. 

The magistrates, as was generally the case, were favor- 
able to the cause of Spain. But the burghers, and especially 
the fishermen and the sailors, made no secret of their prefer- 
ence for the cause represented by the Sea Beggars. Mis- 
trusting their magistrates, and not liking the continued pres- 
ence of the Spanish squadron so near their port, the people 
began to grow restless. The tension increased, until, on May 
I St, one month after the conquest of Briel, Captain Schuylen- 
burgh, a Netherlander in the service of Spain, himself 
ordered bread for his crew from a baker, whom he refused 
to pay at the time. The baker — doubtless from patriotic 
motives as much as from commercial distrust — declined to 
deliver the bread unless it was paid for in advance. During 



IQO The Sea Beggars. 

the altercation that followed, the captain declared that 
Enkhuizen " was full of Beggars and scoundrels, who would 
be treated even worse than the people of Rotterdam." 

This injudicious remark was overheard by bystanders, and 
was soon repeated throughout the city. The determination 
to keep out the Spaniards now became firmer than ever. 
At this time Captain Quickel appeared at one of the city 
gates, with a company of Spanish soldiers. He simply 
requested permission to march through the town, for the 
purpose of embarking his soldiers on the fleet. He was 
promptly told to take another route. On the following day 
Admiral Boshuizen himself, accompanied by a body-guard of 
halberdiers, came to town, and Quickel also appeared. 
Boshuizen was admitted, but a number of fully-armed 
burghers joined the city guards at the gate, and refused ad- 
mittance to Quickel and his troops. Boshuizen himself took 
part in the controversy, and in the most haughty and insult- 
ing manner ordered the burghers to admit the king's sol- 
diers. He was unceremoniously refused, and, deeming it 
wise to leave the spot, he retired to his lodgings in the town. 

After some time spent in negotiations, the soldiers were 
permitted to pass through unarmed. They had hardly en- 
tered the town when the magistrates, by trickery, succeeded 
in smuggHng in their arms. The enraged burghers, espe- 
cially the seafaring portion, now attacked the soldiers and 
chased them out of town. Boshuizen himself was dragged 
out of his lodgings, and taken to the city hall, where he was 
imprisoned under a guard of burghers, who forced him to 
order the captains of his fleet to surrender their ships. This 
order was promptly obeyed by a few of the officers, who were 
secretly in favor of their country's cause. 

The burghers thereupon boarded two of the warships, and 
removed their heavy cannon to the walls of the city. The 



The Cities North of the Y. iqi 

marketship of Amsterdam, loaded with thirty-five tons of 
gunpowder and some hundreds of muskets for the fleet, op- 
portunely arrived also, and the entire cargo was confiscated 
for the use of the burghers, now well-provided with arms 
and ammunition. 

Several hundreds of armed burghers then went to the city 
hall to be informed of the intentions of the magistrates, and 
to urge them to take sides against Spain. The magistrates 
argued with the people to receive a Spanish garrison, be- 
cause, as they said, the city was not in a condition to defend 
itself against the Sea Beggars, whose ships were even now 
anchoring in the Vlie. Dirk Jans Brbuwer and Cornells 
Pieters Rietlus — two exiles, having returned from Emden 
upon receiving the news of the taking of Briel — answered 
for the people, and declared that they were not afraid of the 
Beggars, and that the city needed no Spanish garrison. 

Thus aft'airs dragged on for several days. During this 
time the burghers were ever urging the magistrates to declare 
for the prince. In the interval, more exiles arrived from 
Emden and other localities, and the magistrates were power- 
less against the might of the people. On May nth, the 
drost of Muiden, Paulus Van Loo, attempted to smuggle a 
shipload of Spanish soldiers into the town. But he had as 
little success as Quickel had had, and was forced to retire 
at the cannon's mouth. 

Peter Luytges Buyskes, formerly one of Enkhuizen's 
most wealthy and influential burghers, had returned from 
his exile abroad, provided with a commission, issued to 
him by William the Silent, dated April 20th, 1572. It con- 
tained the order to Buyskes to take Enkhuizen and the 
Spanish warships. He also held a letter from the prince to 
the burghers, containing promises of speedy assistance. 
This letter and commission immediately placed Buyskes at 



192 The Sea Beggars. 

the head of the local insurrection, which now assumed the 
character of an organized revolt. When Buyskes saw that 
Van Loo was making for the harbor, he went immediately to 
the jetty, and as soon as the ship was within hailing distance 
he called out : " What is the nature of your business here, 
and where are you going with those soldiers ? " Van Loo 
stated his business, and was not inclined to be so easily 
baffled, not even after Buyskes had ordered him to depart, 
and threatened to fire. Fortunately the loaded cannon was 
stationed on the dyke, and Brouwer, with burning match, 
was just about to fire, when he was prevented by another 
burgher. Muiden's drost, however, perceived the determina- 
tion of the assembled burghers, and, deeming it wise not to 
provoke them further, he beat a hasty retreat. 

The authorities, seeing the temper of the people, and 
dreading further disturbances, now promised not to receive 
any Spanish soldiers ; while the burghers also promised not 
to invite the Sea Beggars, now waiting in the Vlie. The 
city was to remain neutral, though resolved not to permit 
the warships, riding in the harbor, to depart. As at Flushing, 
four captains were elected over the burgher-guards, and 
twelve burghers were appointed, who, with the present magis- 
trates, were to attend to civil matters. For the purpose of 
guarding against surprise or treachery, the customary guard 
of sixty at the gates and on the walls was doubled, and the 
officers received strict orders to take good care that no man 
shirked his duty. 

The burgomasters, fearful of losing their last chance, put 
off the augmenting of the guards as long as they could, but 
the burghers forced them to it, and they had to obey. 
A few days later they succeeded in smuggling Boshuizen 
out of the city ; he escaped to Amsterdam, greatly to the 
regret of the burghers. The magistrates, at the same time, 



The Cities North of the Y. 193 

prevailed upon the people to permit the imprisoned ships to 
leave the harbor. But one of them, drifting ashore, not far 
from the city, was burnt by the Sea Beggars that had come 
down from the Vlie. 

This state of professed neutrality, obnoxious to both, was 
observed for about two weeks. At last the burghers tired 
of their neutral position, especially so since the magis- 
trates, aided by the small portion of the population that still 
clung to Spain, had more than once vainly tried to cause the 
city to return to allegiance to the Duke of Alba. 

Urged by Pieter Buyskes, the burghers, on May 21st, 
1572, hoisted the prince's colors from the city tower, and 
declared for the prince. A number of people were imme- 
diately employed to strengthen the city's defenses, and a 
company of three hundred and fifty burghers was equipped 
to garrison the town provisionally. As there was not a 
penny to be found in the city treasurj', Buyskes paid the 
garrison out of his own pocket, until the arrival of the Sea 
Beggars. 

As soon as the city had declared itself, messengers were 
sent to the Vlie, Den Briel, and Emden, also to Sonoy, at 
Bremen, enlisting troops for the service of the prince. 
Hardly had the messengers circulated the happy news of 
Enkhuizen's revolt, when twenty-six warships, manned by 
five hundred Sea Beggars, arrived on May 2 2d from Emden, 
under Jelis Steltman, Tiete Hettinga, Willem Lievens, 
Niklaes Holbeek, Captain Wybe, and others. All were en- 
thusiastically received by Enkhuizen's burghers. Neither 
did those Beggars arrive empty-handed. They brought with 
them ships loaded with grain, which they had captured on 
their way, and which there was great need of in the town. 

A few days later a number of Sea Beggars, sent by 
Lumey from Den Briel under Captains Jacob Cabeljauw, 
13 



194 The Sea Beggars. 

Niclaes Ruychaver, and Cornells Loefsz Roobol, also 
arrived. Enkhuizen now was not only free, but in a posi- 
tion to assist its neighbors to throw off the Spanish yoke. 

On May 28th the people took the precaution of 
changing their magistrates, and the new ones were re- 
quired to subscribe to the following oath of office : " To be 
faithful to the king in his capacity of Count [of Holland], to 
the prince as his stadholder, and to the city of Enkhuizen ; 
to resist the Duke of Alba, his partisans, the tenth and 
twentieth penny, and the tyrannical inquisition ; to respect 
every one's liberty ; to promote the city's good, and the wel- 
fare of the people ; to assist and protect widows, orphans, 
unfortunates, and just causes, without fear or favor ; not to 
divulge official secrets ; not to commit injustice, neither for 
the sake of gifts or presents, nor to please friends or rela- 
tives, nor for any other reason." 

On June 2d Sonoy arrived at Enkhuizen, where he was 
received with the greatest enthusiasm. Voyaging in an 
open boat he was almost captured by the soldiers sent by 
Alba to garrison Medenblick. In fact, it was only by dint 
of fast rowing that he and his party escaped. As soon as 
Sonoy had been informed of the turn of affairs at Enkhuizen, 
he despatched a messenger, bearing the happy news, to 
William the Silent at Dillenburg, who, anticipating what was 
likely to happen, had, on April 20th, appointed Sonoy as 
his stadholder of West Friesland. This was the old historic 
name for a large part of North Holland, north of the Y, also 
often called the Northern Quarter. 

Through this opportune appointment there was likely to 
be unity of purpose and of action in the further attempts to 
gain over the rest of that section of the country, as well as 
to establish a central authority and government for its com- 
ponent parts. 



The Cities North of the Y. 195 

Sonoy immediately wrote for further reinforcements for 
the purpose of delivering the whole of West Friesland from 
Spanish domination. Without waiting for their arrival, how- 
ever, he at once resolved to take the nearby city, Meden- 
blick. Two companies of Sea Beggars under Cabeljauw 
and Ruychaver, and two companies of Enkhuizer burghers 
under their captains, Klaes Kroes and Jacob In't Hof, were 
sent to attack the town. Large numbers of burghers had, 
during the preceding few years, left Medenblick, and the ma- 
jority of those that had remained leaned toward Spain. 

After a brief resistance the besiegers forced the gates, and 
entered the city. The burghers retreated to the castle, 
which was strongly fortified, and resolved that with the assist- 
ance of the garrison they would stoutly defend themselves. 
But in their precipitate retreat they had had no time to re- 
move their wives and children, who were still in the city. 
And now the assailants made use of a device that, though 
no longer permitted in present warfare, was often resorted 
to in those days. 

The attacking party gathered the women and children, 
placed them in front of their forces, and marched against 
the fort. The defenders, not daring to shoot, surrendered 
the castle, and Medenblick was lost to the cause of Spain. 

B. HOORN. 

Hoorn, another important city on the Zuiderzee, was also 
ready to declare against Alba and Spanish domination, and 
the people were waiting only for a favorable opportunity to 
throw off the yoke. 

On April 20th the prince addressed a letter to the magis- 
trates and people of Hoorn, in which he entreated them to 
break with the enemy of their country's liberty. The letter 
was received early in May and read at the council meeting, 



196 The Sea Beggars. 

and also to some influential burghers. But the verdict of 
the burghers was that they would await the turn of affairs at 
Enkhuizen. The city government, however, under the lead 
of the burgomaster, Jan Symons Rol, royal Vice-Admiral of 
Holland, was absolutely in favor of the Duke of Alba. 

After the reading of the prince's letter the magistrates 
resolved to preserve the city for the Spanish King, and im- 
mediately wrote to Bossu, Alba's stadholder of Holland, for 
a royal garrison. Meanwhile, they provided themselves 
with ammunition, and when the time approached for the ar- 
rival of the expected garrison, the city fathers deemed it 
wise to secure the city hall and the principal streets leading 
to the market-square. 

At five o'clock in the afternoon of Thursday, May 2 2d, 
1572, Rol ordered the city laborers to draw the cannon from 
the walls. He then had them loaded with shrapnel and sta- 
tioned upon the market-square. It was the day of the annual 
fair, and unusually large numbers of people filled the streets. 
One of the burghers asked Rol why he had the cannon re- 
moved. The burgomaster answered : " What business is that 
of yours, fellow ? " " Much, " replied the other. Rol drew his 
sword, and threatened to run the burgher through. Imme- 
diately there was a commotion, and Rol was obliged to beat 
a hasty retreat. The burghers called out to one another 
that they had been betrayed, while at the same time they 
hastened to get their arms, and then barricaded their doors 
and windows. Soon the market-square in front of the city 
hall was filled with armed burghers. Rol, who had come 
out, was again forced to seek refuge in the city hall ; while 
the city laborers, following the example set by their burg- 
omaster, also dispersed. 

The burghers now removed the artillery to the walls, 
whence it had been taken, and deposited the ammunition in 



The Cities North of the Y. 197 

the arsenal. All this took place before eight o'clock in the 
evening. 

While a part of the people were engaged in remounting 
the cannon, they were suddenly startled by the blowing of 
an unusual alarm from the city-hall tower by the city trum- ^ 
peter. It may have been a preconcerted signal to the ships 
to sail away, they having on board the soldiers for the gar- 
rison. The alarmed burghers, however, fearing another 
trick, rushed up the stairs of the city hall, and burst into the 
council chamber. Here they were met by the magistrates, 
who were just about to leave to quiet the people. 

But the people wanted to know at once what the signal 
meant. The burgomasters explained as best they could. 
Upon being individually asked why they had removed the 
cannon from the walls, where it belonged, each burgomaster 
gave a different explanation. This exasperated the people 
to such a degree that it was difficult to prevent several from 
laying violent hands upon their magistrates. Still, after 
some discussion, the authorities were not only permitted to 
leave unmolested, but even to continue in office, upon prom- 
ise that, in the future, they would behave themselves, and 
not attempt to introduce innovations, or to receive letters 
from abroad without showing them at once to the captains 
and officers of the civic guard. 

The burghers, however, did not deem themselves safe until 
they had searched the houses of the most violent partisans of 
Spain — to assure themselves that there were no soldiers hid- 
den away. During this search they seriously threatened 
Burgomaster Rol, who escaped bodily harm only through 
the intercession of the more moderate among his political 
opponents. On the following day, May 23d, the burgo- 
master, thinking it prudent to quit the town, secretly left for 
Amsterdam. 



198 The Sea Beggars. 

A new commander was now appointed for the civic guard, 
which was augmented to eight companies ; while on June 3d 
this force was further strengthened with three hundred and 
fifty volunteers from among the townspeople. Strong 
guards were nightly and daily stationed on the walls and at 
the gates, to keep out both Spaniards and Beggars, the city 
desiring to remain neutral. 

Sonoy, the prince's lieutenant in West Friesland, and also 
the city of Enkhuizen, did everything in their power to 
induce Hoorn to declare for liberty and the prince. Negotia- 
tions were constantly going on, but the city council was ob- 
durate. On June i8th, while the council was in session, a 
large number of burghers of Enkhuizen, with several re- 
turned exiles, presented themselves before the gates of 
Hoorn, requesting admission. The city council refused, 
but the officers of the guard, influenced by their men, threw 
open the gates, and the visitors were admitted. 

Immediately the entire burgher force, officers and privates, 
took the oath of allegiance to William the Silent as the 
king's stadholder of North Holland, and declared that the 
Duke of Alba, his Spaniards, and adherents were enemies 
of the common weal. Several prominent burghers and 
members of the magistracy now followed the example of 
Burgomaster Rol, and left the city. 

On the following day, June 19th, Jacques Hennebert, a 
captain of the Sea Beggars, who had taken part in the cap- 
ture and defense of Briel, entered the city at the head of 
his men. At first the rough freebooters created some dis- 
turbances, and seemed to consider Hoorn somewhat like a 
conquered town. After having mentioned that, contrary to 
promises, the Sea Beggars were quartered upon the burgh- 
ers, Hoorn's chronicler continues " not without causing 
much trouble, because these soldiers were a rough and un- 



The Cities North of the Y. 199 

disciplined band, but hatred of the Duke of Alba made the 
people excuse everything." Two days later, Johannes Al- 
veringen. Lord of Hoffeegen, who had been appointed gov- 
ernor of the town, made his entry into Hoorn. One of his 
first acts was to create order among the undisciplined gar- 
rison, who thereafter behaved like true soldiers and pro- 
tectors of the burghers. 

On June 28th Alkmaar followed Hoorn's example. Edam, 
Monnickendam, Haarlem, Gouda, Leyden, the whole of 
Holland — with the exception of Amsterdam, The Hague, and 
Schoonhoven — declared for the prince and liberty. Schoon- 
hoven was soon gained over, The Hague followed later, but 
Amsterdam remained Spanish till 1578. The warships of 
Amsterdam continued to cause much damage to the shipping 
and to other interests of the cities on the Zuiderzee. Even 
Boshuizen was often successful in preventing the ships of 
Hoorn and Enkhuizen from navigating the Zuiderzee, and 
leaving the Vlie, and thereby, and in many other ways, causing 
great injury to those cities' interests. After having endured 
it for some time the Beggar spirit at last manifested itself, 
and culminated in a life-and-death struggle between the 
contending parties. This contest for the freedom of the 
Zuiderzee led to naval engagements, which gained for the 
Beggars one of the most brilliant victories of the war — a 
victory that put it forever out of the power of the Spanish 
authorities to intercept the shipping, and to damage the inter- 
ests of the patriotic cities bordering upon the Zuiderzee. 



Chapter Six. 

/ Alcmaria Victrix. 

( Victory began from Alkmaar.) 

THE condition of the country had become almost 
hopeless. Early in the year 1573 nearly all 
that had been gained for the cause of liberty 
and progress in the Netherlands had again 
been lost. Bergen [Mons], Mechelen, Sutphen, Naarden, 
and Haarlem had, in quick succession, been recaptured by 
the victorious Spanish hosts. The four latter towns had 
been visited with such terrible punishment for their rejec- 
tion of Spanish domination, that the tale of their martyr- 
dom will forever leave a blot upon the character of the per- 
petrators. 

The fall of Bergen [Mons] and of Mechelen had broken 
the strength of the revolt in the southern provinces. The 
capture of Sutphen had secured to Alba the middle eastern 
provinces. The fall of Haarlem had cut in two the province 
of Holland, and seemed to render it easy for the Spaniards 
to subdue the separated portions. The question was which 
to subdue first, the north or the south of Holland ? It did 
not take Alba long to decide. 

After having permitted his troops a few weeks' rest from 
the fatigues of the siege and from the subsequent atrocities 
of Haarlem, the Spanish governor-general decided to follow 

up his late successes by the speedy subjugation of the so- 
200 



Alcmaria Victrix. 201 

called Northern Quarter of Holland, also named West Fries- 
land, containing the northernmost section of the province 
of Holland, north of Waterland. In doing this he was 
doubtless prompted by his desire to save Amsterdam's com- 
merce from the destructive activity of the Sea Beggars, in- 
festing the Zuiderzee, who now possessed three excellent 
bases in the harbors of Hoorn, Enkhuizen, and Medenblick. 

But before attacking any of those places, the Spanish 
general had need of a secure base of operations, and one 
not far removed from his headquarters at Amsterdam and 
Haarlem. 

The city of Alkmaar — about midway between them all — 
would be the most natural base ; therefore he resolved to 
take it before beginning operations against the seaboard 
towns. 

From this place — out of reach of the warships — it would 
be an easy matter for Alba to subjugate the whole of West 
Friesland, and thus deprive his most dreaded and detested 
enemies, the Sea Beggars, of their northern maritime strong- 
holds. Yonker Diederick Sonoy, the former Sea Beggar 
chief, appears to have foreseen this plan of the Spaniards. 
He had been appointed stadholder, or governor of West 
Friesland, by William the Silent, and in this capacity sent 
two Beggar captains, Yonker Jacob Cabeljauw, who had 
been appointed military governor, and Nicholas Ruychaver, 
with two companies of veteran Sea Beggars to occupy the 
city. Cabeljauw and Ruychaver, during the siege of Haar- 
lem, had, with their troops, occupied the villages of Egmont 
and Heilo, for the purpose of protecting Alkmaar against 
any Spanish attempt from that direction. 

On July 13th, 1573, — the day that Haarlem surrendered 
to the Spaniards, — the two chiefs presented themselves before 
the city gates of Alkmaar ; but they and their men were re- 



202 The Sea Beggars. 

fused admission. Three days later, on July i6th, straggling 
bodies of Spanish troops — the advance guard of an army 
that was to appear later — began to reconnoiter the city's 
environs. 

Now was the time to take decisive measures. Nothing 
was ready for defense, and the city council was irresolute. 
Many timid people even then began to make preparations to 
leave the threatened city. But the great majority of the 
citizens was determined to keep the Spanish despoiiers out 
at any sacrifice. 

During this emergency the two Beggar chiefs, Cabeljauw 
and Ruychaver, were permitted to enter the city, but without 
their men. The city council had been convened, and hun- 
dreds of anxious burghers, many of them favorable to Spain, 
attended by the two chiefs, made their way toward the city 
hall. Fear of the Spaniards, coupled with distrust in their 
own defenses, was so great with the city fathers, they 
deemed it wise not to attempt any resistance. A portion of 
the burghers had even manifested their enmity toward the 
chiefs by shooting at Cabeljauw's commissary, Willem 
Mostert, and wounding him in the leg. 

The council now required the chiefs to obtain reinforce- 
ments, and to defeat the Spanish troops before they could 
approach the city. Cabeljauw was obliged to refuse this 
unreasonable demand. Their forces were much too small, 
their equipments too insufficient, to risk a battle. Even if 
they had been in a condition to offer battle to the Spaniards, 
the Beggar chiefs wished to be sure that the city was on 
their side. It would have been too dangerous for them to 
have had a stronghold in their rear of which they were 
doubtful whether it would favor their cause or that of the 
enemy. 

But the city council was unable to decide. 



Alcmaria Victrix. 203 

Ruychaver became impatient at their irresolution and 
exclaimed : " This is not the time to deliberate. Say come 
or go ! " Still the council was indecisive. 

As often happens in similar instances of vacillation, the 
firm resolve of a strong and influential man at last turned the 
scale. 

Burgomaster Floris Van Teylingen, disgusted with the 
half-heartedness of his colleagues, jumped to his feet, and 
exclaimed : " I live or die for my burghers, and for the 
prince ! " With this he left the council chamber in com- 
pany of the two Beggar chiefs, and together they went to 
the Frisian gate, in front of which the Beggar soldiers were 
still patiently waiting to be admitted. Attended by hundreds 
of eager burghers, who had been waiting in the city-hall 
square for the decision of the council, the three soon reached 
the gate. But they had no keys. The city carpenter, 
Maarten Pietersz Van der Mey, however, was on the spot 
with his tools. A few well-directed blows from his axe 
smashed the lock, and the Beggars entered the city. 

The Spanish stragglers of the few days preceding, having 
been reinforced by other detachments, now formed a small 
army. About the same time that the Beggars were admitted 
through the Frisian gate, a body of Spaniards was approach- 
ing the city by the road leading to the Heiloer gate. 
Immediately the Beggar companies, fortified by hundreds of 
armed burghers, hastened to the threatened point. The 
enemy, having attained his object and not wishing to engage 
in battle, retreated, but only to return a few weeks later with 
many thousands more than the hundreds of now. 

Still, the warning had been heeded. The city was imme- 
diately put into a proper state of defense, the walls 
strengthened and some of the suburbs demolished, while the 
trees around the town were felled. Day after day the 



204 The Sea Beggars. 

burghers were drilled and instructed in the use of arms, 
cannons were procured, ammunition was bought, and 
enough provisions to last through a siege somewhat pro- 
tracted. 

At last the long-expected event took place. 

Early in the morning of Friday, August 21st, 1573, while 
a fearful thunderstorm was rending the clouds, and a drench- 
ing rain was beating down, the vanguard of the Spanish 
army approached Alkmaar from the direction of Haarlem. 
When the outposts of the Spanish host were approaching 
the village of Koedyk, the villagers, thinking that a gang of 
Spanish marauders was about to invade the place, imme- 
diately sent to Alkmaar for protection. The noted Beggar 
chief Dirk Duyvel, at the head of two hundred of his Beg- 
gars, hastened to the assistance of the village, and took up a 
position near the Koedyk sluice. After some obstinate 
skirmishing, Duyvel at last perceived that he was not fight- 
ing a band of marauders, but a well-appointed army corps. 
A little later a messenger on horseback came to inform him 
that the enemy was approaching the city from a southerly 
direction. Not to be cut off, Duyvel was now forced to 
abandon his position, and to retreat immediately upon the 
city, accompanied by many country people, who preferred 
the dangers of a siege to being exposed to the insolence of 
an alien soldiery. 

The situation was critical for the besieged. Only eight 
hundred soldiers and thirteen hundred burghers capable of 
bearing arms could be opposed to the sixteen thousand 
Spanish veterans and their twenty-one pieces of heavy artil. 
lery. The city walls were not very strong, and at some 
points, near the Frisian gate, for instance, only a wide and 
deep moat separated the burghers from the besieging army. 

The defense of the city was entrusted to Cabeljauw, who 



Alcmaria Victrix. 205 

was assisted by such able and tried warriors as Willem Van 
Zonnebergh, Conrad Van Steenwyck, Dirk Duyvel, and 
Jacob Hennebert. Ruychaver, soon after being admitted 
into the city, left it again with his company, either to recon- 
noiter or to occupy an outpost. In the early period of the 
siege the people of Alkmaar were obliged to abandon a trench, 
on account of which communication between Ruychaver and 
the city was cut off, and he was unable to return. He had no 
opportunity therefore to distinguish himself at the siege, but 
more than made up for it at the memorable naval battle of 
the Zuiderzee, a few weeks later. 

Notwithstanding the heavy odds against them, the patri- 
otic burghers did not hesitate. Not one among them spoke 
or even thought of surrender. All were determined to 
defend their freedom with their lives. And though, dur- 
ing the heavy and almost incessant bombardment, portions of 
the walls collapsed, there were hundreds of willing hands 
ready to repair the breaches, heedless of the hail of bullets 
certain to fall among them. 

It was said that, during the siege, some of the officers, — 
among them the intrepid Duyvel, — despairing of being able 
to hold the city, proposed to collect what valuables they 
could carry, and, with the entire population, fight their 
way through the enemy's ranks, leaving him the deserted 
city. If this be true, the scheme was as daring as it was 
hopeless of execution. Though it may have shown lack of 
judgment on the part of the proposers, it gave evidence of the 
most reckless courage, — the true spirit of the Sea Beggars, 
longing for freedom of movement and action. 

During the night of September loth the Spaniards 
attempted to surprise the town by means of a pontoon 
bridge ; but, circumspect as they were in their movements, 
they were discovered by the watchful sentinels on the walls. 



2o6 The Sea Beggars. 

A still alarm was sounded, and two small cannons were 
trained upon the bridge and its crew. The bridge was shot 
to pieces, and a large number of Spaniards paid with their 
lives for the futile effort at surprise. 

But the besieged were not even satisfied with opposing 
the enemy from behind their walls. The besiegers had occu- 
pied positions that exposed a considerable part of the city 
to an annoying cannonade, and neutralized the garrison of a 
redoubt, at the entrance to the harbor. 

The burghers now resolved to drive the enemy from their 
favorable position, and at the same time to throw supplies 
into their harbor-redoubt. They were partly successful in 
their attempts, but the sinking by the enemy of a vessel near 
the entrance of the harbor, forced the garrison to evacuate 
the redoubt. 

A final effort to dislodge the besiegers from their favor- 
able position was frustrated by a ruse. While the people of 
Alkmaar were attacking the Spanish positions from two 
sides, and had almost succeeded in dislodging the enemy, 
the besiegers made a feint against one of the city gates. 
The sound of the alarm called the storming party back to 
repel what they thought an attack upon the city, and the 
Spaniards remained in the undisputed possession of their 
position until the end of the siege. During the entire siege 
sorties from within the city were continually undertaken, 
sometimes for the purpose of dislodging the Spaniards from 
favorable positions ; at other times for the sake of taking 
prisoners, and thus gaining information regarding the 
enemy's positions and plans. 

The Spanish general, Don Frederick De Toledo, was at 
first possessed of the idea that the city would soon succumb 
to the persistent cannonading from his twenty-one pieces of 
heavy artillery, and from an occasional attack. He soon 



Alcmaria Victrix. 207 

discovered he was mistaken. Nearly four weeks had passed 
since he had begun to invest this feeble fortress, and yet no 
signs of surrender. Summer was nearing its close, and he 
desired to save his soldiers the rigors of a winter's siege. 
The only way to gain his end would be to storm the city. 
The feeble garrison would not be able to resist a hand-to- 
hand encounter with his veteran soldiery. Haarlem had 
taught him differently, but Alkmaar, he knew, was not 
Haarlem ! 

The 1 8th of September had been selected by the Spanish 
commander-in-chief as the day of trial. The evening before, 
constant alarms and demonstrations had been keeping the 
defenders in a state of exhaustive tension. The false alarms 
lasted till midnight, and then happily ceased. It was evi- 
dent that the enemy had been bent upon exhausting the 
burghers, and wasting their defensive power by causing them 
loss of sleep. After their exciting vigils, the burghers had 
already congratulated one another upon their fortunate 
escape from a threatened night attack, and had gone to rest, 
when, suddenly, at three o'clock in the morning of Friday, 
September i8th, the inhabitants were frightened out of their 
sleep by a terrible burst of artillery. 

Twenty pieces all at once opened fire upon two of the 
city defenses : the Frisian Gate and the Red Tower. Twent}^- 
five and forty-pound balls fell like hail against the defenses. 
During all the four weeks of the siege nothing approaching 
this bombardment had been experienced. The buildings in 
the town literally shook with the vibrations caused by the 
din of the artillery. Large breaches were made in the walls 
and parapets, and the gallant burghers, at the peril of life 
and limb, filled them up as soon as discovered. Every one, 
men, women, and even children were active in repairing the 
defenses. The balls sped thick and fast, but no one 



2o8 The Sea Beggars. 

heeded them. The moat near the Frisian Gate had now 
become filled with debris. The insufficiently-repaired 
breaches at the Red Tower also seemed to offer an easy 
path into the city. After more than two thousand cannon 
balls had been hurled against the town, Don Frederick 
deemed this sufficient, and about four o'clock in the after- 
noon he ordered the bombardment to cease. 

But the city's greatest ordeal was yet to come. Hardly 
had the fumes of the cannonading disappeared when the 
bugles called the Spanish cohorts to the attack against the 
walls. The two points that had been the butt of the fiercest 
cannonading, were to be the object of the most furious 
assault. 

With fatal assurance, born of long success and of the 
consciousness of the city's exhausted garrison and feeble 
defenses, the Spanish columns marched to the attack. The 
storm against the Frisian Gate was directed by Julian De 
Romero, the perfidious murderer of Naarden's hapless 
burghers. The commander of the defenses at this point 
was that dauntless Sea Beggar, Dirk Duyvel, whose very 
name (Devil) was sufficient to fill many a superstitious Span- 
iard with consternation. 

The storming party against the Red Tower was led by De 
Noircarmes, and the sad fate of Valenciennes was prophetic 
of what the future of Alkmaar's burghers was to be, should 
this merciless butcher be victorious. Coenraad Van Steen- 
wyck, who commanded at this point, true to his name, stood 
firm as a rock against the overwhelming forces of the enemy. 

The Spanish attacks were well-nigh irresistible, but the 
burgher-soldiers gallantly withstood the shocks. Armed 
with musket and pike, sword, club, and axe, or whatever 
came handy as a weapon of defense, the burgher forces 
were more than a match for the disciplined Spanish soldiers. 



Alcmaria Victrix. 209 

Neither age nor sex was considered a bar to engaging the 
enemy. 

A number of fires had been built upon the wall, and here 
old men and women, small boys and young girls, were kept 
busy for days, collecting combustibles for defense. The 
larger boys hurled heavy bricks upon the enemy's heads, 
while the women and girls threw down burning pitch, tar, 
brimstone, twigs, straw, boiling water, oil, and whatever could 
be utilized to destroy the enemy. Several times the assailants 
were beaten back with heavy losses, but only to renew their 
attacks with greater fury. 

Against such a determined resistance it was impossible 
to gain a footing upon the walls, and the storm was tempor- 
arily suspended, but only long enough to afford the besieged 
a short breathing spell. 

The tired and disheartened troops were speedily replaced 
by fresh ones, and the attack was renewed, this time against 
four points. It soon became evident that the assaults 
against the other two points had been only feints, made for 
the purpose of dividing the forces of the besieged. After 
slight losses had been experienced by the Spaniards, caused 
by a few well-directed shots from the city, they quickly 
withdrew, and the enemy again concentrated their strength 
against the Frisian Gate and the Red Tower. The second 
attempt was no more successful than the first, and after 
several hours of gallant fighting on both sides, the enemy 
was again obliged to withdraw. 

A third attack, by fresh troops, was soon made, and this 
time it appeared as if the almost exhausted defenders would 
be forced to succumb. At the Frisian Gate the Spaniards 
succeeded in planting three ensigns upon the city-side of 
the moat, and immediately a large number of Spanish sol- 
diers, rallied by the cry of " Victory, the city is ours 1 " as- 
14 



210 The Sea Beggars. 

sembled around the flags, ready to follow up their advantage. 
The defenders, too, rallied at the danger, and, gathering new- 
strength out of despair, made a last irresistible rush, hurled 
the Spaniards down into the moat or killed them on the 
spot, tore down or burnt the Spanish ensigns, and no more 
Spanish soldiers succeeded in gaining an entrance there. 

The besiegers were no more fortunate when attacking the 
Red Tower ; although here also they had temporarily suc- 
ceeded in planting a banner on the wall. For the third 
time the Spanish general was obliged to recall his defeated 
battalions, who had suffered a loss of more than five hun- 
dred killed. For the time being the city was safe. For 
nearly two days the inhabitants were permitted to take a 
w^ell-earned rest, and prepare for a fourth attack. 

On the 2oth of September, at nine o'clock in the morn- 
ing, the enemy again opened fire against the town, from all 
of their twenty pieces of artillery. More than seven hundred 
cannon balls were hurled against the walls ; but again the 
defenders filled the breaks almost as soon as made. Early 
in the afternoon the firing stopped, but only to be followed 
by renewed attacks, for which purpose the Spanish soldiers 
had been ranged in imposing battle-array. 

The besieged not only made their preparations to receive 
them fittingly in full view of the enemy, but even filled their 
goblets w^ith beer and emptied them upon the city wall, 
loudly inviting the Spaniards to come and drink with 
them ! 

Instead of accepting the invitations, the Spanish soldiers 
not only kept at a respectful distance, but refused to proceed 
against the city. Nothing — not even the killing of several 
of their number by their own officers — was able to induce 
them to face the destruction that was certain to overtake 
them in storming the city. The baffled commander-in-chief 



Alcmaria Victrix. 211 

was forced to countermand his orders for a storm, and re- 
solved to starve the town into surrender, as he had recently 
succeeded in doing with Haarlem. But the authorities of 
Alkmaar, having foreseen this emergency, had devised meas- 
ures to prevent it. 

At ten o'clock at night of the second day of September, 
when the sky was murky and the surrounding country hid- 
den from view by the dense darkness, one of the city gates 
had been noisily opened, and a number of the besieged had 
sallied out, ostensibly for the purpose of making a sortie. 
After exchanging a few shots with the surprised Spaniards, 
confusion appeared to invade the ranks of the burghers, and 
they precipitately retired into the city. But the sortie had 
been only a ruse, undertaken to cover the exit from the town 
of the city carpenter, Maarten Pietersz Van der Mey, who 
had volunteered to find a way through the camps of the be- 
siegers, with messages for Sonoy, the prince's stadholder of 
West Friesland. In a hollow of the long pole he bore — 
used by his countrymen for the purpose of jumping across 
ditches and pools — letters had been deposited, in which the 
magistrates of Alkmaar besought Sonoy to cut the dykes, 
and utilize the water of the sea in delivering them from the 
enemy. 

After evading a thousand dangers, the daring messenger 
escaped through the Spanish lines, and in a few days reached 
Schagen, which Sonoy had temporarily made the seat of his 
government. Van der Mey, after having been ushered into 
the stadholder's presence, unscrewed the knob of his pole 
and handed Sonoy his message, adding such verbal appeals 
as could be made only by a man just escaped from the 
closely-invested town. 

But Sonoy, to his great sorrow, was compelled to tell the 
heroic messenger that he was powerless to act in the matter ; 



212 ihe Sea Beggars. 

he had requested the authorities of the interested polders to 
permit him to cut the dykes, but all had refused. 

/ The only body now to approach in the matter were the 
States of West Friesland, who, at the time, were in session 
at Hoorn. Sono)'- advised the messenger to address himself 
to them, and to request their assistance. The messenger 
had little hope they would listen to him, a simple carpenter, 
but he resolved to try it. Arriving at Hoorn, he was 
admitted into the presence of the States, and, as eloquently 
as he knew how, he pleaded the cause of the beleaguered 
city. In vain. The only answer was, that Alkmaar, as yet, 
had been invested only three weeks, and that it ought to 

, hold out at least as long as Haarlem ; less than two months 
later, on All Saints' day, when the crops had been gathered, 
and the cattle were in the stables, it would be time enough 
to have recourse to the waters of the sea. 

Van der Mey's indignation knew no bounds ; in his wrath 
he delivered himself so energetically that the States, in their 
turn, were deeply offended, and threatened his arrest. It 
was only because of the effective interposition of one of 
the members — Frederick Ottens — that the bold carpenter 
escaped imprisonment. The same member induced the 
States to advise the messenger to go to Delft, where the 
prince was then residing, and try to secure support from 
that quarter. The trip from Hoorn to Delft, in those days, 
was long and tedious. But the man that had braved so 
many dangers for the sake of his city's relief, was prepared 
to go even farther to gain his end. 

As soon as he arrived at Delft, the carpenter was admitted 
into the presence of the prince, who had followed with the 
greatest anxiety the course of events in North Holland. 
The prince was extremely indignant at the egotistical con- 
duct of the States of West Friesland, and entrusted Van 



Alcmaria Victrix. 213 

der Mey with letters to Sonoy and to the magistrates of 
Alkmaar. 

In the letter to Sonoy, the prince commanded his stad- ^ 
holder of West Friesland to cut the dykes, open the sluices, 
and drown the Spaniards, no matter how much the States 
were opposed to it. To the magistrates of Alkmaar the 
prince conveyed his gratitude for the cit}-'s brave defense, 
and promised it speedy rehef. 

Arrived at Schagen, Van der Mey handed the prince's n 
letter to Sonoy, who hesitated no longer, but immediately 
gave orders to inundate the country, as far as necessary'-, 
and, at the same time, to use the military to guard the opened 
sluices and the gaps in the dykes. He also gave the mes- 
senger letters to the city's magistrates, informing them of the 
speedy relief that the sea was to bring to the beleaguered 
town. Van der Mey put his letters into a bladder, and, 
covered by the darkness of the night, again attempted to 
steal through the enemy's lines. Jumping across ditches, 
wading through pools, slowly advancing in one place, hastily 
retreating in another, the heroic carpenter at last reached 
the city gate, but only after his letters had been lost in a 
pool, in the mire of which he himself had almost lost his 
hfe. 

During the night of September 28th, after an absence 
of more than three weeks, the self-sacrificing messenger 
entered the town, whose residents, even before his arrival, 
had already perceived that his errand had not been in vain. 
For the last two or three days an unusual activity had 
reigned in the Spanish camp, consisting in the shifting of 
tents and batteries, moving wagons, and even abandoning 
advantageous positions near the city. The slowly-rising 
waters were beginning to force the enemy back ; the ally of 
the Dutch had at last come to the city's assistance. 



214 The Sea Beggars. 

On the morning following Van der Mey's safe return, the 
bladder, containing his lost letters, was found by a Spanish 
soldier. It was taken to headquarters, where its contents were 
examined. The consequence was, Don Frederick ordered the 
siege to be abandoned. Slowly and almost reluctantly the 
orders were carried out. Several days passed before the 
enemy entirely withdrew. It almost seemed as if they mis- 
trusted the first signs of the inundation, as well as the con- 
tents of the letters, and were waiting for more positive evi- 
dence. This appeared in the shape of a slowly-but-ever- 
increasing volume of water. Had the dykes and sluices 
been nearer, the Spanish commander could have despatched 
a division to fill the gaps, close the sluice-doors, and prevent 
their being again tampered with. But under the circum- 
stances this was impossible. His only safety now lay in 
precipitate retreat. 

In the morning of October 8th, 1573, when the watchful 
sentinels on the walls were scanning the fields around the 
town, they perceived an endless sheet of water, but no 
enemy. He had utilized the darkness of the night to quit 
forever these plains, where nothing but dishonor and de- 
struction to himself had attended his arms, and where the 
waves of the distant sea, even now, were preparing graves 
for the disheartened soldiers. Alkmaar was relieved. 

Throughout the length and breadth of the land the joyful 
shout now rung : 

" Alkmaar has been saved ! " 

After Den Briel, it was the first city that had successfully 
withstood the might of Spanish arms. Large numbers of 
the same freebooters, who had assisted in capturing and 
preserving Den Briel for the cause of liberty, had rendered 
additional service to their country's freedom, by assisting 
also at the victorious defense of Alkmaar. 



Alcmaria Victrix. 215 

From this time, the war more generally favored the 
Dutch, and the relief of Alkmaar may be considered as the 
turning point in the struggle. The patriotic cause in 
Northern Netherland was almost invariably victorious, so 
that it could be truly said : 

"Victory begins from Alkmaar." 



Chapter Seven, 
^ The Battle of the Zuyderzee. 

EVEN before the siege of Alkmaar, the Spanish 
authorities in North Holland had been contemplat- 
ing the equipment of a fleet that was to cooperate 
with the army in subjugating that section of the 
province North of the Y that had thrown off the yoke of 
Spain. Considerations of policy not only required this 
measure, but it was also a life-and-death question for 
Amsterdam, as long as this northern metropolis continued 
under Spanish authority. The Sea Beggars were bolder 
and more successful than ever in their raids upon the com- 
merce of Amsterdam, and always found a safe refuge for 
themselves, as well as a ready market for their spoils, in the 
liberated cities on the northwest coast of the Zuyderzee. 
Necessity had forced several Amsterdam merchants to re- 
move their business to Enkhuizen, Hoorn, and others of 
Amsterdam's formerly-insignificant rivals. These removals 
not only weakened Amsterdam, but, what was still worse, 
greatly increased the resources, as well as the prestige, of 
Spain's enemies in Northern Netherland. 

The Duke of Alba, too late 'for his cause, had at last per- 
ceived that the real strength of the revolt centered in the 
sea. He therefore resolved to break it down with one fell 
swoop, from land and sea. 
216 



The Battle of the Zuyderzee. 217 

His army had been victorious at Haarlem, and would, no 
doubt, be victorious also at Alkmaar and everywhere else. 
His naval armaments in the south had so far been success- 
ful that they had more than once managed to throw men, 
ammunition, and provisions into besieged Middelburg. 
The Zeeland Beggars, at the same time, principally owing to 
the prominent part they took in the siege, and the continual 
presence of the Spanish galleons, were prevented from caus- 
ing as much damage to Antwerp's commerce and shipping 
as they could have done. 

Amsterdam, then, was to be saved from the Sea Beggars ; 
but at its own expense. The fleet that the city was called 
upon to equip, was intended to destroy the naval forces of 
the Beggars on the Zuyderzee, and, with them, the imme- 
diate danger of Spain's seeing Amsterdam wrested from its 
grasp. Bossu, the Spanish stadholder of Holland, had been 
commanded by Alba to fit out as strong a fleet as he could 
collect. This fleet, when ready, was to be reinforced by a 
squadron, equipped at Friesland's expense, by the Frisian 
stadholder, De Robles. 

De Robles had succeeded in collecting a force of eleven 
ships, among them three large galleons. With this squadron 
he intercepted and captured, near the Vlie, a merchant fleet 
of seven vessels, loaded with three hundred lasts of grain 
from the Baltic, and destined for Hoorn. The only ship to 
escape was the convoy. Still, Robles did not succeed in 
joining Bossu and the Amsterdam fleet. The Frisian Beg- 
gar admiral, Duco Martena, kept him so well employed that 
it was impossible for Robles to obey Alba's orders and 
reinforce Bossu's armada. For this reason, Martena and 
his gallant Frisians undoubtedly had as great a share in the 
subsequent victory as if they had taken an active part in the 
battle. 



2i8 The Sea Beggars. 

After several months of secret preparation, the Amsterdam 
squadron, consisting of thirty ships, manned by three thou- 
sand soldiers and sailors, was ready to sail. And although 
the Spanish preparations had been secret, the patriotic North 
Hollanders had been kept fully informed of them by their 
sympathizers at Amsterdam, and therefore had prepared to 
meet the approaching storm. 

As soon as they had been apprised of Bossu's intention to 
leave for the Zuyderzee, the Sea Beggars sank a few old 
hulks near Amsterdam, in the hope of preventing the prog- 
ress of the Spanish Fleet. On September 12th, 1573, the 
Spanish admiral made the attempt to leave the harbor, but 
a strong wind that was blowing, and the sunken wrecks in 
the ship channel, forced him to return. Upon the following 
day the wind had abated, and the attempt to pass the wrecks 
was renewed. The effort, then, was successful, and Bossu 
reached the Y with eighteen of his ships. 

The twenty-four small Beggar ships had not more than a 
thousand men on board. They were deficient in every war 
equipment ; their artillery was so feeble that Bossu mock- 
ingly alluded to it as " wooden cannon." They did not even 
have ammunition enough for a two hours' battle. What 
they lacked in equipment, however, was more than counter- 
balanced by their superiority in seamanship and their 
thorough familiarity with the battle-ground. On these facts 
their hopes were centered, and from them they derived the 
courage to engage in the unequal contest. 

The Beggars that had penetrated into the Y had been 
closely observing the movements of the Spaniards. As soon 
as the Beggar admiral, Cornelis Dircks, Burgomaster of 
Monnickendam, had seen the Spaniards clearing the obstruc- 
tions in the channel, he convened his War Council. The 
question then arose whether it would be advisable to fight in 



The Battle of the Zuyderzee. 219 

the Y, or to attack them in the Zuyderzee ? The captains 
were almost unanimously in favor of waiting for reinforce- 
ments and supplies, then to attack the Spaniards on the 
Zuyderzee. The Beggar ships thereupon retired, and cast 
anchor under the lee of Marcken. 

Bossu thought that the sight of his huge ships had filled 
his adversaries with fear, and that this was the reason they 
had sought safety in sudden flight. Subsequent events con- 
spired to show him he had misjudged his foe ! 

After messengers had been despatched to Hoorn and 
Enkhuizen, informing those cities of the formidable appear- 
ance of the Spanish Fleet, the authorities immediately 
resolved to do all in their power to strengthen the sea-forces. 
It is true a Spanish army was before Alkmaar, only a few 
miles distant from their own gates, but the danger threaten- 
ing from the sea was even more imminent. They sent as 
much ammunition as they thought they could spare from 
their own scanty stores, while large numbers of eager volun- 
teers, especially from among the fishermen, joined the ships. 
Hoorn even lent the portion of its garrison which consisted 
of a company of veteran Sea Beggars under command of the 
former Beggar captain Ruychaver. They were assigned to 
do duty on board of Admiral Dircks' flagship. 

At the same time, they also sent to the prince for assist- 
ance in ships, but especially in ammunition and artillery. 
Considering the condition of the country, it is very doubtful 
whether the prince was able to supply them with either. 

As soon as the Beggar Fleet had left for the Zuyderzee, 
Bossu's first plan was to subdue the defenses that the 
patriots had thrown up on the north bank of the Y, opposite 
Amsterdam, constituting as they did a perpetual menace to 
the city's interests. Their precipitate retreat, however, 
after Bossu's success in overcoming the obstacles in his 



220 The Sea Beggars. 

path had prevented the Beggars from informing the com- 
manders of the various redoubts, of the condition of affairs. 

The important redoubt at SchelHngwoude, under com- 
mand of Captain Hendrik Van Broekhuizen, was the first to 
experience the attack of the Spanish force. After a brief 
but spirited defense, the feeble garrison was obHged to 
abandon the trench, and retire upon the city of Monnicken- 
dam. The other redoubts along the Waterland dyke also 
succumbed. Thus the enemy not only obtained a firm foot- 
hold upon the north bank of the Y, but, what was worse 
under the circumstances, got possession of a number of 
cannon and a large quantity of ammunition that had been 
destined for the Beggar Fleet. The inhabitants of the village 
of SchelHngwoude, however, were the greatest immediate 
sufferers by the retreat, as the unexpectedness of the attack 
had prevented them from conveying themselves and their 
movables to a place of safety. The Spanish occupation of 
the redoubt and village was directly followed by a general 
looting of the place, during which most of that which was of 
no immediate value to the soldiers was wantonly destroyed. 

Soon after the occupation of the fortifications Bossu sent 
Francisco Verdugo to Alba at Amsterdam, in order to 
acquaint the Spanish governor-general with the initial suc- 
cesses. But before the emissary could return, the wind rose 
to a storm, and Bossu was a second time prevented from 
proceeding to the Zuiderzee. The storm soon became so 
violent, that the Spanish squadron was forced to return to 
Amsterdam. 

Here they stayed two weeks longer, to repair damages and 
to take in fresh supplies, as well as to enable the remainder 
of the fleet to join the expedition. On October 3rd the 
entire Spanish squadron — thirty sails strong — again attempted 
to reach the Zuyderzee, but not until the 5th of the same 



The Battle of the Zuyderzee. 221 

month did the wind permit them to leave the Pampus, the 
ship channel connecting the Y with the Zuyderzee. 

The occupation by Bossu of the redoubts on the Water- 
land dyke, served only to strengthen the determination of 
the Beggars to beat his forces on the water. Bossu's action 
at Schellingwoude was but a presage of what was to follow, 
should he succeed in defeating the Beggar Fleet, now 
awaiting his arrival on the Zuyderzee. The time between 
Bossu's first futile attempt and his final success in gaining 
the Zuyderzee, had been well spent by the patriots, who 
were now full of courage, when, in the afternoon of October 
5th, Bossu was coming to meet his adversaries. Their fleet, 
though far from being equal to that of the Spaniards, both 
in men and armament, was much better equipped than three 
weeks before. 

Bossu's flagship, the Inquisition, with three hundred and 
eighty men, and armed with thirty-two metal pieces, led the 
way. From all appearances, it seemed foolish for the Beg- 
gars even to attempt to oppose so strong and well-equipped 
a force. Compared to the majority of Bossu's ships, the 
vessels of the Sea Beggars were mere sloops, while their 
artillery fared even worse by the comparison. 

But they hesitated not, and, without waiting for their pre- 
cious powder, the patriots more than half-way met the enemy 
of their freedom. It was their intention, first, to render those 
floating fortresses helpless, by maneuvering them into shal- 
low water, then to board them. The attempt was desperate, 
but it seemed the only means by which to gain a decisive 
victory. 

Bossu, however, intended to keep the Beggar ships at a 
distance, and to sink them with his heavy artillery. His 
thirty-two pieces, and the numerous cannon of the other 
Spanish ships, opened a terrific fire upon the approaching 



222 The Sea Beggars. 

assailants, without, however, intimidating them or even 
causing much damage. Feebly replying to the Spanish fire, 
the Beggar ships moved steadily on, continually forcing 
Bossu to shift his position to prevent any opportunity for 
boarding. For two days the battle lasted in this seemingly- 
desultory manner, neither one of the combatants gaining 
any real advantage. 

Yet, while the battle was fiercest, the Beggars had the 
good fortune to separate two Spanish vessels from the main 
body of the fleet. One of these ships, the Ape, was boarded 
by Captain Jacob Van Til. His efforts to board had been 
twice ineffective. Now, a third time, he was successful, and a 
fearful struggle on deck of the boarded Spaniard, at last 
ended in Van Til's victory. Out of sixty Spaniards, only 
seven, including their commander, survived. They were 
immediately sent as captives to Hoorn. But fortune now 
left the dauntless Dutchman. Two of Van Til's men were 
killed, and he himself and twenty more of his men were 
wounded. This weakened his crew to such an extent that 
he could not properly man his prize. Orders were immedi- 
ately given to remove her artillery and ammunition to his own 
vessel, after which a small prize-crew would be put upon 
the conquered Spaniard. But scarcely had the cannon been 
removed, when another Spanish ship bore down upon Van 
Til's, and, a brief engagement following, he was forced to 
abandon his empty prize to the enemy. 

Captain Dames Fredericks Geltzak, of Medenblick, fared 
even worse. He also had been successful in almost con- 
quering a Spaniard, but, when victory was near, Bossu him- 
self trained the artillery of his Inquisition on the Beggar 
ship, which was just within the range of the Spanish 
admiral's guns. They did terrible execution. Fifty of 
Fredericks' crew were wounded or killed. This disaster to 



The Battle of the Zuyderzee. 223 

their plucky antagonist was promptly utilized by the Span- 
iards to throw off the grappling irons and seek safety in a 
precipitate retreat. 

The number of killed and wounded on the Beggar Fleet 
after two days' fighting, was considerable, even the admiral 
himself having been temporarily disabled. Yet, despite all 
this loss, they had not been able, up to that time, to gain any 
real advantage. 

Slowly the wind veered toward the southeast, and now 
the Beggars deemed it wise to suspend operations until the 
wind should again change in their favor. With the wind in 
favor of the enemy, the chances were too unequal for the 
Beggar forces, and their admiral, therefore, gave the signal 
to retreat. Sailing north, they dropped anchor near Neck, 
not far from Hoorn, whither Bossu could not follow them, 
owing to the size of his ships. 

Bossu, thinking he had defeated the Beggar Fleet, laughed 
derisively when his rear-admiral, Rol, the fugitive burgo- 
master of Hoorn, ventured to inform the admiral that, in 
his opinion, the battle had not even begun, and that it was 
a much easier matter to despise than to beat his enemy. 
He knew his countrymen. 

For five long days the impatient Beggars were prevented 
by adverse winds from again closing in upon their enemy. 
For five short days the Spaniards were rejoicing over a 
victory they had not won. 

During the days of their enforced inactivity, the Beggars 
were informed of the fortunate relief of Alkmaar. This 
success on land secured them further assistance, while, if 
possible, at the same time it increased their resolve to follow 
up the relief of Alkmaar with a decisive victory at sea. 

At last, on October nth, 1573, the wind began to blow 
from a more favorable quarter. Now the enthusiasm of the 



224 The Sea Beggars. 

crews became so irresistible that Admiral Dircks did not 
even venture to wait till he should have received a much- 
needed addition to his ammunition ; longer delay, in fact, 
would have caused mutiny among his men. 

Bossu was at dinner when he received the incredible 
news that the Beggars, whom he thought he had defeated, 
were bearing down upon him at their utmost speed, all sails 
unfurled. 

The Spaniard soon made the unwelcome discovery that 
his enemies had the advantage of the wind. At the same 
time, the nearness of the coast, and the shallowness of the 
water, prevented him from properly maneuvering his ships, 
or even falling back when necessary. 

Again Bossu tried to decide the issue through the superi- 
ority of his artillery. The roar of his hundreds of heavy 
cannons soon reverberated across the waters, reaching the 
near-by shore, — North Holland, — where it called to the dykes 
thousands of anxious burghers, whose silent prayers as- 
cended to heaven for the success of the gallant champions 
battling for progress and liberty against such fearful odds. 

But the cannonade, however terrible, caused little damage 
to the Beggar Fleet. Not a single ship was disabled, not a 
single crew suffered severe losses. Here and there stray 
balls or shells caused some damage to the on-speeding fleet, 
but not enough to prevent either ship or crew from taking 
part in the fray. All through this heavy cannonade the 
Beggars reserved their fire, partly because they had little 
ammunition, partly because their artillery did not carry far 
enough, and was not powerful enough even to cause much 
damage to the floating Spanish fortresses. The Beggars 
trusted principally to other devices. 

Their first object was to board their antagonist. In the 
hand-to-hand struggle that was to ensue, the Beggars in- 



The Battle of the Zuyderzee. 225 

tended to make use not only of knife and axe, of sword and 
crowbar, but a number of their crews, before jumping 
over, were to be stationed in the rigging of their ships, and 
were to demoralise the Spaniards by throwing fire-pots, 
burning pitch, tar, and other scalding material, upon the 
decks of the enemy's vessels. They intended to do at sea 
what the people of Alkmaar had done so successfully on 
land. 

Soon all the ships were engaged. But there was neither 
unity of action nor systematic cooperation among the Beg- 
gars. Every ship sought for what she considered her 
match. Admiral Dircks had selected for his share Bossu's 
flagship, the powerful Inquisition, apparently a most fool- 
hardy undertaking, but rendered less hazardous, however, 
by the presence on board of his ship of Ruychaver and his 
veterans. 

It was not long before the daring of the Beggars was re- 
warded by the conquest of one of the Spaniards. This was 
a ship of two hundred and forty tons burden, carrying four 
brass and four iron pieces, and several of smaller caliber. 
After a most severe cannonade, she tried to escape, but 
Dutch seamanship was superior to Spanish seamanship. 
Their few pieces of artiller}^ also had been so well-serv^ed, 
that in the course of the fight the enemy's ship was bored 
full of holes and upon the point of sinking. After a san- 
guinary hand-to-hand battle, the survivors on the Spanish 
vessel were forced to surrender. The conquerors had 
scarcely time to save the heavy artillery and some of the 
valuable ammunition, before their prize suddenly lurched 
and disappeared beneath the waves. 

Five more Spanish ships, endeavoring to evade the on- 
slaught of the Dutchmen, grounded and were unable to 
get afloat. Soon the light Beggar ships were upon them. 
IS 



226 The Sea Beggars. 

After a stubborn fight, the Dutchmen threatened to set the 
Spanish ships afire if they did not speedily surrender, 
and, suiting the action to the threat, the Beggars cast coals 
of fire, burning pitch, and other combustibles upon the deck 
and in the rigging of the enemy's ships. Seeing neither 
chance of escape nor hope of assistance from the other 
ships of their fleet, the gallant remnants of the decimated 
Spanish crews were reluctantly obliged to surrender, to es- 
cape death by fire or by drowning. 

When the remainder of the Spanish fleet perceived the 
loss almost at one stroke of five of their best ships, with 
another gone to the bottom, they lost heart, and, despair- 
ing of being able to assist their admiral in his struggle, 
they withdrew to a distance. 

Had the Beggars then made a general and concerted 
attack, the destruction or capture of the entire Spanish Fleet 
would have been but a question of a few hours. But, un- 
fortunately, several of them could not resist the temptation 
to loot the foundered ships, which afforded the other Span- 
ish vessels an opportunity to get out of danger's reach. 
Several of the fugitives, to escape the fate of their compan- 
ions, and get safely across the shallows, lightened their ves- 
sels by throwing overboard all of their heavy pieces. The 
Spanish rout was complete, their ships, under the lead of 
Vice-Admiral Rol, seeking safety beyond the Pampus ship 
channel. There they cast anchor for the night. 

The Zuyderzee was now clear of Spanish vessels, and 
Bossu alone, their admiral, was still fighting, merely because 
he could not disengage himself from his assailants. The 
Council of War of the fugitive Spanish Fleet had, the same 
evening, resolved to go to their admiral's assistance early 
the next morning. But the Spanish soldiers on Rol's ship 
forced him to turn into the Y, and thus, instead of hasten- 



The Battle of the Zuyderzee. 227 

ing to Bossu's relief, they returned to Amsterdam as fugi- 
tives from an enemy inferior in every respect except in cour-j 
age and resources. 

As soon as Bossu had been informed that Dircks was ap- 
proaching, he hurriedly left the table, and, after buckling 
on his armor, took up a position near the mainmast of his 
Inquisition. His thirty-two pieces scattered death and 
destruction among the fleet of his assailants, without, how- 
ever, arresting their onward course. The Beggar admiral 
had ordered his helmsman to steer straight for the Inquisi- 
tion. At first he obeyed. But whether the fearful roar of 
the cannon or the immense size of the towering Spaniard 
filled him with dismay, was not known, but he suddenly 
altered his course. Hardly had one of the sailors, Jan 
Floriszoon, perceived this, than he jumped toward the rud- 
der, pushed the helmsman aside, and steered the ship in 
the direction of the Spaniard. One of the first Spanish 
balls that struck the Dutchman, soon icilled the disgraced 
helmsman. 

Before long, Dircks' ship was alongside of Bossu's, whose 
heavy artillery could no longer cause much damage to the 
intrepid Beggar. Three more Beggar ships joined their ad- 
miral, but the crews of all four were not as numerous as 
that of the Inquisition alone. One of the Beggar ships, 
moreover, under command of Captain De Boer, had been 
trying to attach herself to Bossu's stern, but, owing to the 
height of the Inquisition, could get no hold upon her. 
After having been raked by the fire from the Spanish small 
arms, De Boer was obliged to give up his attempt at grap- 
pling. He next tried to disable the Inquisition's helm, 
and thus render her ungovernable. But this also proved 
impossible, owing to the strength of the rudder and the pans 
of fire thrown from the Inquisition's high poop upon De 



228 The Sea Beggars. 

Boer's low-rigged ship. The disappointed Beggar captain, 
therefore, was obliged to look elsewhere for more accessible 
enemies to conquer. 

This left but three of Bossu's assailants. One of their 
first acts had been to cut the Inquisition's anchor, in hopes 
that the ship would touch the shallows, and thus become an 
easy prey. But, instead of foundering, the Spanish admiral 
drifted hither and thither with wind and tide, his three 
assailants hanging on to his prow and sides like so many un- 
shakable bull-dogs. Fearfully the battle raged, and although 
on both sides men were mown down like ripe grain, no one 
thought of giving up. It was a battle to the death. Even 
quicklime and burning pitch, thrown from the rigging of 
the Beggar ships down upon the Spaniards, failed to make 
them wince. Soon the decks of the four ships were strewn 
with dead and wounded, and slippery with blood, yet none 
of the contestants was willing to end the carnage. 

While thus engaged in deadly and hopeless contest, Bossu 
discerned how first one, then five, of his best ships were 
either sunken or taken. He also saw the rest of his fleet pre- 
cipitately withdraw and make for the Pampus, but the 
gallant commander, as well as his equally-gallant crew, never 
thought of surrender ; they had quietly resolved to conquer 
or die. 

Past Hoorn they drifted with the outflowing tide, and 
after the darkness of night had set in, the glare of the 
wreaths of burning pitch on the decks and in the rigging of 
the Beggar ships, furnished the light by which to continue 
the battle. This also served as the beacon for the coast- 
dwellers, guiding them to the combatants. Light vessels 
named " waterships," from Hoorn, not only carried the dead 
and wounded Sea Beggars to the shore, but continually filled 
the gaps in their ranks with fresh men, so that the exhausted 



The Battle of the Zuyderzee. 229 

Spaniards were ever-facing new assailants. Yet Bossu's \ 
men wavered not ; not even after three hundred and more 
of their number had been either killed or wounded, and the 
small remnant were forced to seek shelter within the hold. 

Whatever the ingenuity of the Beggars and their allies on 
the shore could invent to reduce the Spaniards to surrender, 
was applied. The lighters even took with them from the 
city boiling lime-water, which was thrown upon the Span- 
iards from the yard-arms of the Beggar ships. Ruychaver 
and his men on Dircks' ship endeavored more than once to 
gain a foothold upon the Spaniard, but every time they 
were driven off with fearful loss. The deck of the Inquisi- 
tion was red with the life-blood of friend and foe, the groans 
and curses of the wounded mingled with the noise of the 
battle and the shouts of the combatants, but no one among 
the fighters paid any attention to the fate of the fallen, and 
the end seemed as far off as ever. 

At last, Bossu was forced to order his remnant of men to 
open the hatches and fight the enemy from the partial cover 
of the hold. The only one among the Spaniards occasion- 
ally to appear on the deck was Bossu himself, whose heavy 
armor protected him against every thrust, every bullet, and 
whose long sword, wielded by a powerful arm, kept his 
assailants at a respectful distance. But even then it was 
not safe for the Beggars to venture upon the enemy's deck, 
for the well-directed musket fire, and the long Spanish pikes, 
did deadlier execution than when the soldiers were fighting 
in the open. Yet the Beggars resolved to take the ship, 
cost what it might. Morning began to dawn, but still there 
appeared no sign that the besieged intended to surrender. 

At the coming of twilight, Jan Haring, of Hoorn, one of the 
heroes of the ill-fated siege of Haarlem, suddenly espied the 
Spanish ensign proudly flying from the Inquisition's main 



230 The Sea Beggars. 

mast. Its bringing down could not serve a single purpose, 
as the rest of the Spanish Fleet had long before fled, and those 
on board would fight to the bitter end, flag or no flag. Still 
it would be a satisfaction to himself and his fellow country- 
men on the ships to see this hated emblem of alien domina- 
tion lowered from its lofty place. Quick as lightning the 
intrepid Beggar ascended the rigging of the Spanish admiral's 
mast, never heeding the bullets speeding up around him. 
Tearing the flag from its fastenings, he slung it round his 
body, and, shouting " Victory ! " made ready to descend. 

This disgrace, however, was too great for Spanish pride 
to bear. Disengaging attention, for the moment, from the 
assailants on the deck, every available musket was aimed at 
the daring climber. A dozen or more bullets at once were 
liberated against him from the muzzles of the Spanish fire- 
arms. Long before he reached the deck, a bullet pierced 
his lungs, and, after shouting once more, " Victory ! " the 
hero, — Jan Haring, of Hoorn — dropped dead upon the 
Spanish deck, the lowered banner of proud Spain a blood- 
stained pall, covering his lifeless remains. 

At last, even Bossu and most of the officers that had been 
left, grew tired of the useless carnage ; twenty-eight hours 
the fearful battle had raged ; hundreds of men on both 
sides had succumbed ; only fifteen of Bossu's gallant crew 
were yet in fit condition to offer any resistance. 

Putting up his sword. Admiral Bossu requested a confer- 
ence with Admiral Dircks, Captain Ruychaver, and Prevost 
Nieuwvink. His request was granted. The outcome of the 
negotiations was, that he surrendered, upon condition that 
the lives of his men should be spared, that he himself, dur- 
ing his captivity, should be treated with all the consideration 
due to a count, and that the prisoners should be exchanged. 
The conditions were accepted, and immediately ratified by 



The Battle of the Zuyderzee. 231 

Sonoy, who had but just arrived with reinforcements. Two 
Spanish officers, Corcuera and Lopez, distrusting the good 
faith of the conquerors, counseled fighting to the death. 
But they also, after Sonoy's solemn promise to respect the 
terms of surrender, consented to lay down their arms. The 
first signal naval victory by the Dutch over the Spaniards 
had now been won. Spanish paramountcy on the Zuyderzee 
was for ever at an end. The Spanish defeat saved not only 
the part of Holland North of the Y from the danger of 
Spanish invasion, but also was the principal cause of Am- 
sterdam declaring in favor of the patriots, five years later. 

Bossu for three years remained a prisoner of war at 
Hoorn, where he was confined in the orphanage ; he was 
treated much better than he deserved, in view of his das- 
tardly and treacherous massacre of the people of Rotterdam 
in April, 1572. Because of this perfidy, the mob at Hoorn 
clamored for his life as he was being conducted a prisoner 
of war into the city. In 1576 Bossu left the cause of Spain, 
and was appointed Governor of Utrecht by the prince, 
in which capacity he died three years later, trusted by few, 
detested by many. 



Chapter Eight 

The Capture of Middelburg. 

A. The Siege. 

HARDLY had Treslong arrived at Flushing when he 
began to devise means to force Middelburg, 
Zeeland's capital, to take sides with the prince. 
It was known that the majority of the city's in- 
habitants were favorable to the cause of their country's 
freedom. But the magistrates, and most of the prominent 
families, considering chiefly their own interests, were in- 
clined to Spain. A very strong Spanish garrison, moreover, 
guarded Middelburg against attack from without, and pre- 
vented any patriotic demonstration from within. The 
original garrison had been augmented by adding the Spanish 
soldiers destined for, and stationed at. Flushing, but who, on 
April 6th and following days, had been repulsed and driven 
out. 

But the impetuous Treslong decided to attack, under any 
conditions, this central Spanish stronghold. Gathering to- 
gether his Sea Beggars, and as many soldiers and burghers 
of Flushing as were willing to join him, during the night 
of April 26th, 1572, he secretly led his allied forces against 
Middelburg, in the hope of surprising it by burning one of 
the city gates. He was repulsed with great loss, and suc- 
232 



The Capture of Middelburg. 233 

ceeded in holding only Arnemuiden, Middelburg's outer 
harbor. This, also, the Beggars were soon obliged to 
evacuate. 

But Middelburg was too important a town to be easily 
abandoned to the Spanish enemy. As long as the Span- 
iards held Middelburg not only was the security of the 
entire Island of Walcheren threatened, but the subjugation 
of nearly the whole of the province of Zeeland was sure to 
follow. The leaders at Flushing and at Veer consequently 
decided to besiege Zeeland's capital city, and thus force it 
to surrender. But the earliest efforts in this direction met 
with no better success than the attempted surprises pre- 
ceding. 

After the siege had been decided upon, the land forces, 
consisting of burghers and soldiers of Flushing and Veer, 
encompassed the city on land, the Beggar ships guarding the 
entrance from the side of the sea. Lack of experience and 
other drawbacks caused the envelopment, at first, to be very 
imperfect. A Spanish regiment, 1250 strong, under Sanchio 
D'Avila, despatched on May 6th from Bergen op Zoom 
to reinforce the Middelburg garrison, easily succeeded in 
evading the besiegers. On the 7th they arrived at the 
Haeck, in plain view of the Beggar ships, and on the 8th, at 
the dawn of day, presented themselves at the gates of Mid- 
delburg. Their success, in thus eluding the besiegers, 
encouraged them to such an extent, that the commander 
of the garrison, De Beauvoir, resolved to follow up his 
advantage by ordering a general assault. So irresistible 
was the Spanish attack, that the besiegers were not only dis- 
persed, but lost most of their artillery, and five standards. 
In their precipitate flight, many were drowned, and the 
Spaniards not only retook Arnemuiden and the castle of 
Zeeburg, but attacked Veer. Here, however, De Ryck and 



234 The Sea Beggars. 

his " Bloody Company " resisted them so well that the 
Spaniards were forced to flee for their lives, after the loss of 
all their ships and several hundreds of men. 

But if the Spaniards had thus been successful in their 
first attempt at reinforcing the ranks of Middelburg's defend- 
ers, a second effort ended very disastrously for them. On 
May 15th a number of Spanish vessels started from Goes, 
laden with soldiers and supplies. The Sea Beggars had 
now taken up a more favorable position in the channel of 
Veer, and, when the Spanish ships attempted to pass them, 
they were fiercely attacked, and were obliged to return to 
Goes after sustaining heavy losses. 

The people of the two allied cities next endeavored to 
take Middelburg by storm. They were repulsed, with heavy 
losses. They were neither numerous nor experienced, nor 
had they the necessary equipments, to reduce to submission 
such a strongly garrisoned city as Middelburg. It was even 
extremely difficult for them to keep up a regular and effective 
siege. Still, it was most imperative for the success of the 
patriots' cause that Middelburg should be won. 

To guard against sudden attacks by the garrison of Mid- 
delburg upon Flushing, some important dykes were now 
cut, and sluices built in the gaps, so that a large part of ter- 
ritory between Flushing and Middelburg could, in case of 
need, be inundated by opening the sluice-doors. Some 
intrenchments were also thrown up, and here a number of 
the burghers of Veer and Flushing were stationed, to pre- 
vent, as much as possible, any intercourse with the surround- 
ing country. A cordon of Beggar ships was also placed 
around the entire Island of Walcheren. Ships were sta- 
tioned in all of the most important channels, creeks, and 
inlets of the sea, and the besiegers prepared to starve the 
city into submission. Within a few weeks more than eighty 



The Capture of Middelburg. 235 

Beggar ships of all sizes and shapes hovered in and around 
Walcheren's waters. It became even difficult for the royal 
squadrons, sailing from Bergen op Zoom, Antwerp, and Sluis 
to unite and act in concert. If united, the royal ships might 
be able to undertake something against the Beggar Fleet ; 
separated, they were almost certain to meet with disaster, 
as had happened more than once before. 

The Spaniards, however, were not disposed to be thus 
easily deprived of their principal Zeeland stronghold. To 
increase the Spanish forces in the Zeeland waters, royal 
vessels were withdrawn from wherever they could be spared^ 
From Holland and Flanders, as well as from Spain itself, 
they were hastily sent to reinforce the royal navy in the 
estuaries of the Scheldt. The Spanish authorities thoroughly 
appreciated the importance of Zeeland, both to themselves 
and to the partisans of freedom. They also knew that, once 
lost, it would be exceedingly difficult again to subjugate 
those sea-girt islands, with their resolute, liberty-loving 
inhabitants. 

Numerous individual encounters now took place between 
the Spanish ships and those of the Sea Beggars, in which the 
latter were usually victorious. During one of these en- 
counters, Sebastian De Lange, Veer's admiral, sorely pressed 
by four large Spanish warships, set fire to the powder, 
blowing up his own ship and destroying those of the enemy. 

Still, on June nth, the Spaniards were so fortunate as to 
throw into the besieged town abundant provisions and an 
additional force of 11 00 men, — a portion of the reinforce- 
ments that had just arrived from Spain with the hapless 
Medina Celi. 

Remembering their partial success of a few weeks preced- 
ing, the Spanish authorities in Middelburg now intended to 
surprise Flushing. They hoped thus to be able to bring 



236 The Sea Beggars. 

about the breaking up of the siege, and, at the same time, to 
force the Sea Beggars to raise the blockade of the island, or at 
least to withdraw their ships from before Middelburg. With 
Flushing lost to the patriot cause, it would be impossible, at 
that time, to continue the investment of Middelburg. 

During the night of June 2 2d a very strong Spanish 
force noiselessly left the besieged town, and took the road 
leading to Flushing. Midway between the two cities stood 
the castle of West Souburg, fortunately guarded by a small 
garrison of Flushing. After a fierce assault, the castle was 
taken by the Spaniards, and the garrison sought safety in 
flight to Flushing, thus warning the people of their danger. 
The burghers of Flushing, to check the enemy's advance, 
speedily opened a newly-constructed sluice in one of the 
dykes, and the Spaniards were soon in full retreat before the 
inrushing waters. Out of revenge for having been thus de- 
prived of what they deemed a certain conquest, the Span- 
iards, during their retreat, wantonly reduced to ashes the 
villages of Koudekerke and West Kapelle. As part-com- 
pensation for this damage, several ships, manned principally 
by impressed seamen, sent by the enemy to attack the 
patriot force, deserted and joined the fleet of the Beggars. 

While the blockading ships were not engaged in repulsing 
the enemy's vessels, the Beggar captains, in order to break 
the monotony of the watch, as well as to procure much-needed 
supplies for their crews, frequently left their ships, and, after 
the example of the Frisian Sea Beggars, undertook " shore 
walks." The famous Barthold Entens Van Mentheda, who 
had joined the Zeeland Beggars in their blockade of the 
Island of Walcheren, endeavored, on August 28th, 1572, to 
surprise Arnemuiden, and thus cut off Middelburg's com- 
munication with the sea. Repulsed by the garrison, he now 
descended upon the environs. He subjected the surround- 



The Capture of Middelburg. 237 

ing country to the payment of contributions, and plundered 
and destroyed the castle of Westhoven, the property of one 
of Spain's most ardent partisans within the besieged town. 

As was customary in those days, the country people suf- 
fered not only from the patriots but from the Spanish soldiers, 
who were even more rapacious than the Sea Beggars. 
Even the farmers that had the good fortune to slip unob- 
served through the insufficiently-guarded lines of the besieg- 
ers with provisions for the town, were robbed by the very 
men they came to relieve. This shameful practise gave rise 
to the following complaint by the city magistrates to the 
Duke of Alba : " The husbandman has been robbed of all 
he possesses by the Beggars, as well as by the soldiers of 
his royal Majesty. And though we have at divers times de- 
creed that all farmers should safely store their produce 
within the city, to which they are very much inclined, and 
which they would gladly do, yet they cannot effect it, owing 
to the fearful robbery and vexation by the soldiers of his 
royal Majesty, who, persevering in their customary violence, 
under pretext of not receiving their pay, steal by wagon- 
loads, even under the walls of the city, the produce carted to 
the town by the country people." 

These Spanish robberies, however, filled the country- 
people with the desire to avenge themselves ; so large num- ' 
bers of them joined the ranks of the besiegers. Although 
the Beggars took some, the Spaniards took all. The Sea 
Beggars intended to remain for a time only ; while the Span- 
iards, if possible, had come to stay. Moreover, joining the 
ranks of the patriots assured the farmers immunity of plunder 
from that side ; while the Spanish robbed friend and foe 
alike. 

Goes, the principal city of the Island of South Beveland, 
still remained in the clutches of the Spaniard, and con- 



238 The Sea Beggars. 

stituted a standing menace to Middelburg's besiegers. Con- 
sequently, more than one futile effort had been made by the 
insurgents while besieging Middelburg to gain over Goes 
to their cause. In October, 1572, those dauntless but too- 
careless Sea Beggars, Tseraerts and Entens, again surrounded 
South Beveland's capital. Their force, consisting of about 
4000 men, was strong enough this time to render success 
possible. But now their watchfulness was at fault. The 
gallant and daring Mondragon, after a masterly advance 
through the drowned lands of eastern South Beveland, fell 
with three thousand troops unexpectedly upon the besiegers, 
the garrison of Goes making, at the same time, a sally, re- 
sulting in the Beggar chiefs being routed with the loss of 
seven hundred killed. 

A few weeks later, on November 2d, an attempt was made 
by the Sea Beggars to surprise Bergen op Zoom, the distant 
arsenal and base of supplies for Middelburg. The miscarry- 
ing of a letter, which fell into the enemy's hands, frustrated 
this plan also. At the same time, several fortified towns, 
which had previously thrown off the Spanish yoke, again 
succumbed to the enemy, and were visited with the most 
cruel punishment. Affairs, generally, had taken a turn for 
the worse, but Middelburg's besiegers did not despair. 

They endeavored several times later to surprise the town, 
but Middelburg's defenders were ever on the alert. The 
efforts met only with disaster. Those reverses, however, but 
served to strengthen the determination of the besiegers. 
The bad reputation of the Zeeland climate, as well as the 
desperate condition of affairs in other parts of the country, 
rendered it exceedingly difficult to obtain much-needed rein- 
forcements. Especially was this the case when, as before 
Goes, seven hundred men were killed at one fell blow. But 
the Zeelanders continued the siege with their own people, 



The Capture of Middelburg. 239 

and with such casual assistance as they were fortunate 
enough to receive from time to time. 

At Middelburg and at Arnemuiden distress increased 
among the besieged. An early winter had found them with- 
out fuel ; while the Spanish garrison appropriated for them- 
selves, and made use of, everything that would burn. 

Several Spanish efforts to relieve the town by water were 
frustrated by the ever-victorious Beggars. Only once in a 
great while did the enemy succeed in throwing a few supplies 
— much needed — into the besieged stronghold. On Novem- 
ber loth, Adolf Van Haamstede, a Netherland noble, but 
a staunch loyalist, admiral of the Spanish naval forces in 
Zeeland, had met with a signal defeat in an effort to relieve 
the town. Alba dismissed him from office with a polite but 
very insulting letter, the contents of which ought to have de- 
tached every self-respecting Netherlander from the cause of 
Spain. This letter was as follows : " Very dear and well 
beloved : Considering that the captains of the Spanish ships 
are Spaniards, and for this reason are not very willing to 
obey your commands as would be required in his Majesty's 
service, and on account of which his Majesty's interests might 
be endangered, we have found it absolutely expedient and 
necessary to invest with the office of admiral somebody to 
whom said captains will show the necessary respect and 
obedience, and we have therefore chosen the Lord of Beau- 
voir. We have been pleased to acquaint you with the same 
by the present, and at the same time to thank you, as we 
are doing in his Majesty's name, for the services, rendered 
by you, prior to this, in the office of admiral, which will be 
most favorably and deservedly remembered. From Ny- 
megen, December 25th, 1572." 

The Spaniard, Sanchio D'Avila, was no more successful 
than the Dutchman, Haamstede. In the middle of January, 



240 The Sea Beggars. 

1573, D'Avila was sent to Middelburg's rescue, from Ant- 
werp, with a powerful fleet of 56 vessels. But the Zeeland 
Beggars under Worst and De Moor were more than equal 
to the haughty Spaniard, and he was repulsed with great 
loss. They had sunk twelve old ships, loaded with bricks, 
to prevent the Spanish advance. The strong current, how- 
ever, dislodged some of the sunken vessels, and D'Avila 
would still have been able to provision the town if the Zee- 
land forces had not kept a close watch on him. After a 
sanguinary naval engagement, the Zeelanders were victorious, 
and the Spanish admiral was forced to return to Antwerp, 
without having been able to accomplish his project. The 
larger Spanish ships fled to Antwerp, the smaller ones to 
Bergen op Zoom, where the hero of Zierikzee, burgomaster 
Lieven Jans Kaarsemaker, not only kept these and other 
Spanish vessels, to the number of 40, shut up in the harbor, 
but even took the cannon protecting the jetty. A few days 
later he captured or burnt seventeen Spanish vessels under 
the protection of the enemy's cannon before Rammekens. 

In the middle of February the besieged suffered another 
great loss through the burning, by the people of Veer, of the 
Middelburg flagship in the harbor of Middelburg ; while the 
people of Flushing did the same to some other Middelburg 
vessels guarding the entrance to Arnemuiden. 

In the meantime, want, with all its terrible consequences, 
was stalking through the besieged town. As early as Jan- 
uary, 1573, the authorities wrote to Alba: " Already several 
people within the city have died of privation, and others, 
iamong the well-to-do, have nothing but bread, onions, and 
'water to live on. We don't know what further to do to 
provide bread for the community and the soldiers." These 
pitiable cries for assistance could be answered only by futile 
efforts at relief, and the little that now and then could be 



The Capture of Middelburg. 241 

carried within the walls was barely sufficient to last a few 
days. 

On February 27th another effort was made by the Span- 
iards, assisted by the besieged themselves, to throw supplies 
into the suffering city. But it resulted only in the loss to 
the relief force of two large ships, which were captured by 
the Zeelanders, and in the defeat of the Spaniards. 

In March following, D'Avila again made the attempt, but 
this time the Sea Beggars did not even permit him to 
approach Walcheren : they proceeded to meet him, and 
between Terneuzen and Borselen the Spaniards again 
suffered defeat. 

More fortunate was D'Avila on April 2 2d. With a 
strong fleet of large, well-armed ships, officered by the most 
experienced commanders in the service, he succeeded in fight- 
ing his way past the opposing Sea Beggars, assembled near 
Borselen. On April 24th he was fortunate enough even to get 
some supplies into Middelburg. But this partial victory had 
been bought at an enormous cost to the Spaniards ; for when, 
the day before, the ships were passing the dyke of Flushing, 
in order to reach Middelburg, a most destructive fire was 
opened upon them from the shore ; while, at the same time, 
a fearful thunderstorm dispersed a large part of the fleet. 
One of the Spanish ships, the Elephant, had, owing to her 
size, been obliged to cast anchor and await high tide, in 
order to join the other ships. A Zeeland Beggar cut the 
cable holding the anchor, and the vessel immediately drifted 
among the Beggar ships. She was boarded, and, after a 
terrible battle, lasting six hours, during which five hundred 
men were slain, the Spaniard was taken. The Spanish 
commander, De Blicquy, was among the killed, but the Beg- 
gar captains, Groeneveen, Everkitte, and Cloot also lost 

their lives. The Spaniards further paid for their partial 
16 



242 The Sea Beggars. 

success with the loss of at least six ships, several pieces of 
artillery, and 900 killed. After reaching Middelburg, 
D'Avila, with his greatly-depleted forces, was immediately 
closed in. He then deemed it prudent not to venture out 
as long as the blockade lasted. Unfortunately, most of the 
Beggar ships had soon to be withdrawn for the purpose 
of attacking another Spanish force. D'Avila immediately 
availed himself of this opportunity to escape ; fresh supplies, 
also, could then reach the besieged town by way of Goes. 

At first it was thought that beleaguered Middelburg would 
now have provisions enough to last for nine months. It was 
soon discovered, however, that the authorities had been too 
sanguine in their estimates ; so the restrictions regarding 
food became more stringent than before. 

On June 8th the authorities at Flushing dismissed their 
admiral, the Lord of Baerland, and appointed in his place 
that intrepid Brussels patriot, Louis Van Boisot. From this 
time on the siege was even more energetically continued. 
Nearly every day skirmishes took place, the city was more 
closely invested, and relief expeditions became more and 
more unsuccessful. 

The Spanish authorities in Middelburg deemed it neces- 
sary to make at least one more strenuous effort to save the 
city. Consequently, on June 21st, 1573, the garrison, under 
the supreme command of Zeeland's Spanish stadholder, the 
Lord of Wacken, executed a sally in force. His troops were 
attacked by land and by water ; and Wacken while standing 
on a dyke, exposing himself too much in his eagerness to 
encourage and direct his troops, was shot dead by a ball 
from one of the Beggar ships. The Spaniards, forced to 
retreat, took his inanimate body with them to the city. His 
successor in office was now absent, Mondragon, the one- 
eyed, one of the ablest and noblest of Spaniards. 



The Capture of Middelburg. 243 

The majority of Middelburg's inhabitants were for liberty, 
and had it depended upon them, the issue would long before 
have been decided in favor of the besiegers. More than 
one attempt to surprise the town was made with the active 
cooperation of S3'mpathizers from within ; but conditions were 
never favorable, and the attempts came to naught. One 
such attempt was to be made on July ist, 1573. An artil- 
lerist from within had agreed to open the Noorddam gate on 
that day, and he had secretly prevailed upon at least three 
hundred burghers to aid him in carr}'ing out the scheme. 
A strong force of the besiegers were to take a concealed posi- 
tion near the Noorddam gate, while, at the same time, another 
body would make a feint against Arnemuiden, for the pur- 
pose of holding the attention of a part of the Middelburg 
garrison. At the moment of opening the gate, the artillerist 
was to give a preconcerted signal, and the ambushed besiegers, 
then, were to rush from their hiding-place and seize the 
gate. For fear that they would not be able to see the signal, 
sentinels had been stationed close to the gate, but, unfor- 
tunately, they were discovered from the wall. Part of the 
garrison now made a sally, dispersed the ambush, and the 
attempted surprise was frustrated. The magistrates, having 
had their suspicions aroused, now ordered an investigation. 
As a result, many of the burghers were convicted of attempted 
treason. Some of them were executed and quartered, after 
first being subjected to the horrors of the rack. 

An attack on the fortress, or castle, of Rammekens met 
with better success. After a five days' siege, the walls were 
mined, the garrison was forced to surrender, and on August 
14th, 1573, the banner of the prince was floating from its 
turrets. This conquest was a very inadequate compensa- 
tion for the loss of Haarlem, which had succumbed to star- 
vation and pestilence four weeks earlier, after a most gallant 



244 The Sea Beggars. 

defense against the Spanish hosts, a defense that lasted seven 
months. Yet the conquest of Rammekens was of such im- 
portance that the Beggars now dominated the waterway 
between Flushing and Middelburg. The avenue to Mid- 
delburg from the south was practically closed to the enemy, 
and the investment of the town now became complete. 
Immediately after the loss of this fortress, the magistrates of 
Middelburg wrote : " We are now reduced to such extremity 
that we have nothing to live on, and, owing to the lack of 
wheat, have, during a long time, eaten bread of oats, of which 
we have 150 sacks at the utmost. Many soldiers and burgh- 
ers have already perished on account of want, and our 
strength is much diminished." 

The Lord of Beauvoir, who would have been Wacken's 
temporary successor as commander-in-chief of the Spanish 
forces had he been there at the time of Wacken's death, 
approached on August 14th with a fleet of 80 ships, for the 
twofold purpose of relieving Rammekens and of throwing 
men and provisions into Middelburg. Fortunately for the 
patriots, Rammekens was already in their power, but Beauvoir 
succeeded in landing at Vrouwenpolder 2400 men, 95 barrels 
of gunpowder, 2 1 barrels of saltpetre, and provisions for two 
months. This relieving force was commanded by Mon- 
dragon, Middelburg's new military governor, who had come 
over with the fleet. After five days of heavy fighting, Mon- 
dragon succeeded in reaching Middelburg, where he was most 
enthusiastically welcomed by the half-famished burghers 
and soldiers, who had already been obliged to subsist, in 
part, on linseed-bread. It had been impossible to land all 
the supplies that were intended for the city ; for the Beg- 
gars were approaching the Spanish fleet with fire ships, and 
Beauvoir was forced to beat a hasty retreat, not without sus- 
taining heavy losses. But this was the last important relief 



The Capture of Middelburg. 245 

thrown into the city. From now on, owing to the conquest 
of Rammekens, and because of the growing experience of 
the besiegers, the cutting through of their lines became 
more difficult. 

Although the ablest of Spanish commanders, Mondragon, 
was directing the defense from within, the besiegers, during 
the several months that they had been in front of the city, 
had also learned valuable lessons, which they began to put 
more and more into practise. Besides the few thousands of 
Beggars in the ships girdling the Island of Walcheren, 6000 
more men, by the middle of September, 1573, had enclosed 
the city by land, and effectually barred every avenue of in- 
gress from without. As a further precaution, some dykes 
were cut ; for the restless activity and intelligent energy of 
Mondragon forced the besiegers to be constantly on their 
guard against surprises from within. 

Yet, notwithstanding all their watchfulness, the besiegers 
could not wholly prevent the smuggling into town of small 
quantities of provisions. On December loth, for instance, a 
party of men succeeded in entering the city with four hun- 
dred sacks of rye. 

The Zeelanders had more than once requested " Father 
Willem " to honor and cheer them with a visit : they needed 
his inspiring presence to steel them in the undertaking, which 
seemed to become more discouraging the longer it lasted. 
The siege had now been conducted for more than a year, 
and still there appeared no signs of surrender. 

Accordingly, in answer to the summons of his faithful Zee- 
landers, the prince, on December 17th, 1573, accompanied by 
a few vessels, landed at Zierikzee, where his presence called 
forth the most unbounded enthusiasm. On the 20th he left 
the city with the object of inspecting the Beggar Fleet of 36 
ships, blockading the Spanish squadron in the harbor of 



246 The Sea Beggars. 

Bergen op Zoom. His speech on board of his yacht to the 
captains and principal officers of the Zeeland war-ships 
was deemed a marvel of eloquence, and, if possible, in- 
creased, on the part of his hearers, the devotion and loyalty 
to the cause for which they were so gallantly battling. The 
prince thereafter inspected the fleet under manifestations of 
the most devoted loyalty and enthusiasm from all the crews. 
Highly satisfied with his reception, the great leader returned 
to Zierikzee, and thence went to Veer, where his presence 
was the signal for a demonstration as enthusiastic as was 
ever extended by the people to any governing potentate or 
popular hero. Attended by half a dozen Beggar ships, and 
an honorary body-guard, composed of 96 volunteers of 
Dordt, Zierikzee, and Veer, William landed on December 
30th at Flushing, the ultimate goal of his Zeeland trip. 
Here his reception was, if possible, even more remarkable 
than in the other two cities ; for, had not the prince come 
among them to stay, and to direct operations against Mid- 
delburg ? 

Requesens, Alba's successor in the governor-generalship 
of the Netherlands, had resolved to make a last supreme and 
irresistible effort to save the distressed stronghold. He had 
been apprised of the sad plight of the town, and knew that 
it could not hold out much longer. The year 1573 had 
passed away, but relief had failed to reach the suffering city, 
notwithstanding the most pitiable appeals from the besieged. 
The month of January 1574 had nearly gone, but still the 
long-promised, long-expected, assistance was as far off as 
ever. Within the city, distress had become so great that 
thousands had perished of hunger and pestilence ; in eight 
weeks 1568 people had succumbed to the fell destroyers. 

Mondragon had been obliged to evacuate and to level 
several advanced intrenchments toward Flushing, owing to 



The Capture of Middelburg. 247 

portions of the garrisons continually deserting to the be- 
siegers. The latter, however, generally sent back the 
deserters from the intrenchments, as well as those from the 
city, as the contagion was feared. Many of those that had 
been returned, perished under the walls of the city, because 
there, also, they were refused readmission. 

In Flanders, mercantile transactions were entered into un- 
der promise of settlement " at the surrender of Middelburg." 
For, notwithstanding the fact that the Spaniards were still 
absolute masters in Southern Netherland, intercourse be- 
tween that part of the country and the port of Flushing con- 
tinued as if no state of war existed. 

But if the besieged were hard-pressed, the besiegers were 
also hampered by lack of money, ammunition, and provisions, 
and, despairing at the obstinate defense of the garrison, 
began to lose courage ; they even talked of abandoning 
the seemingly hopeless siege. 

At last the relief expedition — the most formidable of any 
yet fitted out — was ready. The enemy had found means 
to inform the authorities at Middelburg of its irresistible 
strength ; and so certain were the magistrates of its success, 
that they ordered medals to be struck commemorating the 
siege, and passed resolutions granting special exemptions 
relative to future taxation to the present magistrates and 
their surviving widows. 

Requesens, to render the expedition as overwhelming and 
powerful as money and equipment could make it, spared 
neither pains nor expense. He applied to all of the North 
European maritime powers to loan or sell the very best of 
their ships. The stadholder of Holland had been ordered 
to lend several of his most serviceable vessels to the Middel- 
burg relief force. Never had so powerful and well-equipped 
a fleet been collected to operate in Zeeland waters. It had 



248 The Sea Beggars. 

taken a long time to prepare it. In all, nearly half a million 
ducats had been expended in equipping a fleet of a hundred 
ships : 200,000 ducats during Requesens' short term of 
government, and a much larger amount during the last 
months of Alba's reign. 

But while the Spaniards had been preparing, the Beggars 
had not been idle. Though their fleet was, even now, 
neither as powerful nor as well-armed and equipped as the 
armada of the Spaniards, the officers and men had the 
great advantage of being thoroughly familiar with the Zee- 
land waters. The crews, also, had been brought up on the 
sea ; while those of the Spanish galleons chiefly consisted of 
land-forces. The enemy, moreover, had committed the 
blunder of dividing their fleet into two squadrons, remote 
from each other. Besides, the Beggars were inspired with 
that supreme self-reliance that always follows an unbroken 
series of successes attained in former engagements with the 
same enemy. 

The disparity of the fleets was therefore not so great as it 
seemed at first sight. 

B. The Naval Battle of Romerswael. 

The Spanish Fleet consisted of more than a hundred 
ships. Seventy-five of the lighter ones had been concen- 
trated at Bergen op Zoom ; thirty of the larger had been 
gathered at Antwerp. The ships at Bergen op Zoom were 
nominally under the command of the vice-admiral, De 
dimes, but actually under that of Julian Romero, a great 
soldier, but an exceedingly bad sailor. This was another 
serious mistake of the Spaniards. 

The squadron at Antwerp was commanded by Sanchio 
D'Avila, the hero, but often the vanquished, in many a hard- 
fought naval engagement with the blockading Beggar Fleet 



The Capture of Middelburg. 249 

before Middelburg. The ships were well provisioned, 
because this time, Requesens thought, the relief of Middel- 
burg was sure to be accomplished. 

The Zeeland Fleet numbered sixty-four ships, forty of 
which had been sent to Bergen op Zoom, while the rest were 
being kept in reserve at Flushing. Several of the Beggar 
ships, and at least two hundred and fifty pieces of their heavy 
artillery, had been taken from the Spaniards during the 
twenty-one months of Middelburg' s siege. 

On January 23d the Spanish squadron at Antwerp left its 
anchorage, and prepared to sail down the Hont, or Wester 
Scheldt. It was to proceed to Borselen, and on or before 
January 30th to unite with the ships sailing from Bergen op 
Zoom. The plan was then to sail up to Middelburg, and 
either to evade or defeat the Beggar Fleet, after which it 
would be an easy matter to release or at least to provision 
the beleaguered capital. Requesens himself had left his 
headquarters and gone to Bergen op Zoom, to superintend 
the expedition there, and to be nearer to the scene of oper- 
ations. 

D'Avila had begun his voyage under inauspicious circum- 
stances ; a bad omen, the superstitious would have called 
it. He, in fact, not only had to contend with unfavorable 
weather, but one of his ships foundered not far from Ant- 
werp, and had to be abandoned. Continuing his voyage, he 
arrived on January 28th within view of Flushing; but, not 
knowing the weakness of the squadron stationed there, he 
deemed it prudent to await Romero's arrival. Probably it 
was fortunate, for the inferior Beggar ships at Flushing, as 
well as for the general cause of the patriots, that D'Avila, 
after some delay, instead of ordering an immediate attack, 
cast anchor off the opposite shore near Breskens, thus throw- 
ingaway the only favorable opportunity the Spaniards 



250 The Sea Beggars. 

might have had of deahng a death-blow to the hopes of the 
struggUng people. 

As soon as the prince had perceived the approach of 
D'Avila's powerful squadron, he despatched one of the fleet- 
est yachts from Flushing, with written orders to Boysot, — 
Flushing's admiral, — to detach immediately four of his larg- 
est and best ships, and send them back to Flushing, to 
strengthen the Beggar squadron there. Boysot had sta- 
tioned himself and his inferior fleet in the Easter Scheldt, 
between the Islands of Tholen and South Beveland, with 
the intention of destroying the Spanish fleet of Bergen op 
Zoom before it should have an opportunity to unite with 
that of D'Avila. For this purpose Boysot thought he would 
need all of his forty ships. 

On January 29th, 1574, Romero had almost forced De 
dimes to leave Bergen op Zoom's harbor. The latter, an 
experienced sailor, was reluctant to sail, as conditions were 
not favorable. But Romero insisting, De dimes obeyed. 
The junction of the two Spanish Fleets was to take place on 
January 30th, at the latest. The morning was rainy and 
cold, but this did not prevent Requesens from leaving Ber- 
gen op Zoom and crossing over to the Island of Tholen, 
where he took up a position on the Schakerloopolder dyke, 
to review the fleet, and to encourage the crews. Every pass- 
ing ship saluted the governor-general with the customary 
salvo. While so doing, the magazine of one of the Spanish 
vessels caught fire, the ship was blown up, and nearly every 
one on board perished. But this was only a minor incident ; 
it did not retard the progress of the fleet. 

Meantime, Boysot had perfected his measures. He him- 
self had taken up a position opposite the village of St. 
Maartensdyk on the Island of Tholen, while his vice-ad- 
miral, Joost De Moor, with three fast ships, had been sent to 



The Capture of Middelburg. 251 

Vosmeer to keep an eye on the enemy's movements, and to 
inform his superior of the approach of the Spanish Fleet. 
Hardly had the day dawned on that cloudy winter morning 
than De Moor reappeared, and informed Boysot that the 
enemy had sailed with his entire fleet, numbering seventy 
ships. This great disparity did not discourage the intrepid 
admiral, and he prepared to receive his enemy fittingly. 
His position had been well chosen. 

At eight o'clock in the morning, the vanguard of the Zee- 
land flejet, under Joost De Moor, consisting of eight vessels, 
opened the battle. Boysot, with the main body, consisting 
of thirty-two ships, made ready to follow. 

While about to give the signal for a general attack, Boysot 
received William's orders to detach four of his best ships, 
and return them to Flushing. But the Spanish Fleet even 
now was much stronger than that of the Beggars. Detach- 
ing four of his best ships might mean certain defeat. Be- 
sides, if D'Avila should attack Flushing, the ships would 
not arrive in time. Boysot, therefore, deemed it wise to 
disobey the prince's orders. He sent the yacht back with 
the verbal message that he would first defeat the Spaniards 
and then come with his entire fleet to the assistance of 
Flushing. This measure, strongly savoring of insubordina- 
tion, caused William some vexation at first, but it proved to 
be the wiser course. Boysot was on the scene, and able to 
judge more correctly than the prince, who was far off, and, 
moreover, had no knowledge of naval affairs. 

The firing of a cannon, and the hoisting of a blood- 
red ensign on the Zeeland admiral's vessel, were the signal 
for the general attack. The battle that was to decide the 
fate of Middelburg was about to begin ; the contestants on 
each fleet were in high spirits, each side hopeful of a de- 
cisive victory. 



252 The Sea Beggars. 

On the Beggar Fleet the enthusiasm was so great that 
even the sick, and those weakened by wounds and disease, 
desired to take part in the fray. The distressed Fatherland 
needed every man, and every man was eager to do his full 
duty. Captain Schot — the hero who had calmly continued 
to lead his men after his son had been shot dead at his 
side in an earlier engagement, and who now commanded 
Admiral Boysot's ship — was on shore, stricken down with 
pestilential fever. His lieutenant — the Flushing Beggar, 
Claas Claassen — had temporarily taken his place. But as 
soon as Schot was informed of the enemy's approach, he 
ordered his boat-crew to row him on board his ship, al- 
though he was scarcely able to stand. It would have been 
better for him, for his admiral, and for most of his crew had 
he not taken part. 

The incoming tide being in Boysot's favor, his fleet drifted 
with the current toward the now submerged city of Romers- 
wael. Near here the main body of the enemy's fleet was 
awaiting them. 

The Zeeland admiral having selected the Spanish flagship 
as his antagonist, he intended to steer alongside and board 
her. Claas Claassen now advised his admiral to send the 
major part of the crew below, until the enemy had delivered 
their first fire, and to keep only enough men on deck to 
navigate the ship. The impetuous Schot deemed it advis- 
able to have them all assemble on the deck, so as to be 
ready immediately for boarding, and not to accede the least 
advantage to the enemy. Boysot, who appears to have had 
much confidence in Schot's judgment, followed his advice. 

While making for the Spaniard, the much smaller and 
lower Zeelander's deck was swarming with eager men, anx- 
ious to risk their lives in battling for their country's liberty. 
A few minutes later the larger part would be in the throes 



The Capture of Middelburg. 253 

of death, victims of the mistaken judgment of their superior 
officers. 

When the Spaniard perceived the approach of Boysot's 
ship, he permitted the Zeeland admiral to get within mus- 
ket-shot distance, and then the grape and shell from his 
broadside caused death and destruction among the densely- 
packed crew on Boysot's deck. The admiral himself was 
struck in the cheek, and lost his right eye. Claas Claassen's 
legs were shot away. Schot lost an arm. Again Romero's 
pieces belched forth their fire, and one half of Boysot's crew 
were put out of action. It now appeared as if the day was 
to be lost to the patriots, and solely on account of following 
up Schot's inconsiderate advice. 

De dimes, with his ship of ten brass pieces and 150 men, 
took quick advantage of the temporary disorder on the 
Zeeland vessel, and immediately boarded her. For Boysot's 
depleted crew it appeared that the odds would be much too 
many. But the survivors, led by the admiral and Schot, and 
encouraged by the dying Claassen, soon rallied, and stoutly 
defended their ground, though the Spaniards were gaining 
inch by inch. 

Fortunately, Captain Adriaan Cornelissen, also of Flush- 
ing, had witnessed the whole proceedings, and he immedi- 
ately came to his admiral's assistance. He boarded De 
Glimes on the other side, this timely diversion forcing the 
Spanish vice-admiral to recall most of his men from Boysot's 
ship. But another danger threatened the Zeeland admiral. 
Romero fastened himself to Boysot's board, and passed the 
order among his men to enter the Zeelander. But the 
timely assistance rendered by Cornelissen had left Boysot a 
free hand, and he soon recovered from the consequences of 
his earlier mistake. Boysot offered no resistance to the 
intended attack. He even ordered back his men from the 



254 The Sea Beggars. 

part of the deck where the Spaniards were most numerous. 
When, finally, about sixty of the enemy had reached his ship, 
Boysot gave a signal ; an explosion followed, and the sixty 
boarders were hurled into eternity. A mine below the 
deck had been fired, and the result was as disastrous for the 
Spaniards as their earlier broadside had been to the Dutch. 
Romero just escaped destruction. He had been prepar- 
ing to follow his boarders when the fatal explosion took 
place. 

Instead, then, of being on the defensive, Boysot proceeded 
to attack Romero's ship. But even now the gigantic Span- 
iard, with its numerous crew, so surpassed the Zeelander in 
strength, that it was extremely doubtful whether Boysot 
would be able to succeed or even to hold out. Help, however, 
soon arrived ; three more Beggar ships went to assist in the 
attack against the Spanish admiral, and though all four were 
hardly as strongly manned as the one Spaniard, the issue 
did not remain doubtful long. 

While a terrible battle was raging on the deck and in the 
rigging of the Spanish ship, Jasper Leynse, a young Beggar 
sailor of Zoutelande, perceived the admiral's pennant float- 
ing from the Spanish mast. While the combat was on be- 
low and about him, he nimbly ascended the enemy's rigging, 
and fought his way through the few defenders of the flag 
stationed aloft. Detaching it from the cord, he hid it below 
his jacket, descended amid a shower of bullets, and — more 
fortunate than Jan Haring of Hoorn — safely reached the 
deck of his own ship, where he proudly surrendered the 
valuable trophy to his admiral. As soon as the Beggars 
saw the Spanish flag disappear, they shouted " Victory is 
ours ! Victory is ours ! " and renewed the attack with 
redoubled vigor. At the same time, the disappearance of 
their admiral's flag threw confusion and panic among the 



The Capture of Middelburg. 255 

Spaniards, who, never at ease on the water, were already 
half-beaten. As soon as practicable, Romero, replaced the 
conquered flag with another, but the mischief had been 
done, and the enemy had become greatly demoralized. 

The Beggars were boarding nine more Spanish vessels, 
and the entire expanse of the water had become a scene of 
fearful carnage. The lighter Beggar ships could move 
much more freely than the heavy Spaniards, as their officers 
and crews were thoroughly acquainted \\dth every shallow, 
every vantage ground. After having conquered or destroyed 
one Spanish ship, they went quickly in pursuit of another, 
never resting so long as there remained an enemy to dispute 
with them the possession of Zeeland's capital. During the 
struggle De Glimes' ship grounded, and was set on fire. He 
himself perished in battle. All of his crew were either 
slain or drowned. Quarter was neither given nor asked. 

Romero's ship, floating about with her four assailants, was 
leaking, and slowly sinking. Most of Romero's crew had 
perished or sought escape by swimming. Romero himself 
jumped out of a port-hole and swam to the near-by shore of 
the Island of Tholen. He landed at the feet of Requesens, 
who was still standing on the Schakerloo dyke, whence he 
witnessed the gradual destruction of his proud fleet. 

In the short space of two hours fifteen Spanish ships were 
taken or destroyed, twelve hundred Spaniards slain, and 
thirty brass and numerous iron cannon had been captured. 
The defeat of the Spanish armada was complete. 

Only a portion of the Spanish ships, however, had taken 
part in the combat. Those forming the rear, under Osorio 
De Angulo, had been prevented by the shallows in the stream 
from taking a prominent part, and had been almost passive 
lookers-on at the destruction of their comrades. Before the 
Zeelanders could follow up their advantage, and attack 



256 The Sea Beggars. 

Angulo, he had retreated to Bergen op Zoom, where the 
victors could not follow him. 

Immediately after his great victory, Boysot sent some of 
his least-damaged ships to Flushing ; but when they arrived 
D'Avila had long before left Breskens. As soon as he was 
informed of the disaster before Romerswael, he weighed 
anchor, and returned to Antwerp, where he arrived after the 
loss of three more ships. 

C. The Surrender. 

The Spanish defeat at Romerswael decided the fate of 
Middelburg. Slowly, and by degrees, the news of the great 
Beggar victory reached the ears of the besieged. The 
rumors, as yet unconfirmed, rendered the garrison desperate, 
but served to revive the courage of the besieged burghers. The 
latter, no longer in deadly fear of the Spanish soldiery, almost 
revolted, demanding of their magistrates that they surrender 
the town, and thus put a stop to the ever-increasing misery 
of the city's population. The soldiers also mutinied. Every 
day at least twenty of them succumbed to hunger and pesti- 
lence. They declared that they would rather be cut to 
pieces than subsist any longer on their miserable rations of 
linseed bread, which, for several weeks, had constituted 
almost their only food. 

Before entering into negotiations for the surrender of the 
city, Mondragon desired to obtain authentic information 
concerning the state of affairs; so, on February 3rd, 1574, 
he sent Captain Trenchant to Requesens with letters in 
which he described the desperate situation of the town, and 
urgently prayed for speedy relief. 

In a small boat, manned by four sailors. Trenchant, under 
cover of darkness, left the harbor of Arnemuiden. But 
scarcely was he outside v/hen the watchful Beggars discov- 



The Capture of Middelburg. 257 

ered the little craft, and speedily set out in hot pursuit. As 
soon as Trenchant perceived that it was impossible for him 
to escape, he threw the letters overboard, and surrendered. 
The Beggars had noticed the spot where he threw the letters 
into the water, and on the following morning, when the ebb 
permitted, the locality was dredged, and the lost letters soon 
brought to the surface. They were taken to the prince, who 
immediately had them translated. Their contents were most 
encouraging, and inspired the hope of a speedy fall of the 
town. This news was the more welcome, as the condition 
of the besiegers was almost as desperate as that of the 
besieged. They lacked nearly everything, and had already 
resolved to abandon before long the apparently-hopeless 
siege. 

The prince now showed the letters to the representatives 
of Flushing and of the other allied towns. Their contents 
so encouraged them that Flushing immediately advanced 
14000 guilders, while a few days later the people of Zierikzee 
sent six thousand large loaves of bread. These advances 
were sufficient to enable them to continue the siege a few 
weeks longer. 

Trenchant was now conducted before Bergen op Zoom 
and Antwerp, where he could personally convince himself 
that both divisions of the Spanish Fleet were being block- 
aded by Beggar squadrons, and could not possibly come 
to Middelburg's assistance. Thereupon he was taken back 
to the camp before Middelburg, and here exchanged for 
two captured Zeeland officers. 

Returning to the besieged city. Trenchant reported what 
he had witnessed. Mondragon now became fully convinced 
that the city's fall was near. He wrote to the magistrates 
of Middelburg that he could provide no longer for his 
soldiers, and, consequently, he would be unable to maintain 
17 



255 The Sea Beggars. 

discipline. He further asked wliether they could assist him 
in his task ? The answer had been foreseen. The entire 
proceeding was a formality only, and was but preliminary to 
entering into negotiations for the city's surrender. The 
magistrates answered that they could in no manner assist 
him, and, at the same time, they requested the commander to 
enter into negotiations while there was yet time, and not to 
forget the city's interests. 

Still, Mondragon was desirous of exhausting every means 
in his power to save the city for his master. On February 
15th he wrote to the prince requesting leave to travel to 
Requesens, and consult with him concerning the condition 
of affairs relative to negotiations for surrender. Mondragon 's 
request, as was to be expected, met with a polite refusal. 
Instead, the prince wrote to the Spanish commander, saying 
that, on the following day, he would send commissaries to 
Fort Rammekens to discuss terms of surrender with the 
Spanish commissaries, who were to be despatched by Mon- 
dragon. 

But it was not until February i8th, when every hope of 
relief had vanished, and almost the last vestige of food in 
the town had been consumed, that Mondragon consented to 
send his commissaries. The prince then demanded an 
unconditional surrender. Upon being informed of this de- 
mand, Mondragon answered that rather than submit to such 
humiliating conditions, he would set fire to the city in 
twenty different places, and court death in an effort to cut 
his way through the lines of the besiegers. 

The prince knew the man, and he felt, also, that this re- 
ply was not a vain threat, an empty boast. The Spaniard 
cared nothing for the city or its many rich art-treasures ; 
nor for the city's inhabitants. Besides, the forces at the 
prince's disposal would be too weak to cope successfully 



The Capture of Middclburg. 259 

with the numerous Middclburg garrison ; led, too, by a com- 
mander so able as Mondragon and nerved with such desper- 
ation. It was very probable that, even under the most un- 
favorable outcome for the Spaniards, several hundreds of 
them would escape through the lines of the besiegers, and 
would, for a long time to come, terrorize the open country 
of Walcheren, looting, burning, and murdering. 

To prevent so calamitous a result, the prince acceded to 
Mondragon's conditions, stipulating that the garrison should 
evacuate the city with martial honors, and that such of the 
inhabitants as might desire, should be permitted to leave 
with the soldiers. Mondragon himself was to return within 
two months, and enter into captivity, if, during that time, he 
sliiould fail to bring about the liberation of five prisoners-of- 
war among the Spaniards ; one of these was the famous 
Beggar Captain Jacob Simonsz Dc Ryck, — he of th« 
" Bloody Company ", — who had been captured the year 
before after an unsuccessful attempt upon the City of 
Tholen. 

On the following day, February 19th, the terms for the 
city itself were announced ; consisting of the payment of a 
war contribution amounting to 300,000 guilders ($120,000), 
and the curtailment of some exclusive privileges. The day 
that the prince entered into the town the contribution was 
cut down to 100,000 guilders ($40,000). 

On February 21st, 1574, the City of Middclburg, after a 
siege lasting nearly twenty-two months, was to be taken pos- 
fession of by the patriot forces. A temporary garrison of 
three hundred men, taken mostly from the ships, would re- 
place the Spanish troops, who, on that day, evacuated the 
town and were conducted to Flanders on the ships of those 
same Sea Beggars that had principally been instrumental 
in bringing about the city's fall. 



26o The Sea Beggars. 

On the same day and on following days large numbers of 
vessels from Flushing and from the whole of Zeeland arrived 
at Middelburg, loaded with provisions for the survivors of 
the siege. Famine was fortunately at an end, but her twin 
sister, the plague, still continued to demand her share from 
the enfeebled victims of the long siege. Many, then, met 
sudden death by eating too ravenously of the abundant 
food, so long denied. 

Three days later, on February 24th, the prince entered 
the now loyal city, which had been profusely decorated for 
the occasion. At first, joy was much tempered with anxi- 
ety, especially among the magistrates ; for they did not yet 
know what disposition would be made of them. But when 
the princely conqueror, on the Dam, assured the various 
deputations, come to render him homage, that he would be 
a father to them, their happiness was unbounded. Wherever 
he went he was received with the most glowing manifesta- 
tions of joy and loyalty. The people were only too happy to 
be permitted now to take part in the subsequent work of 
liberation, so long retarded by the stubborn resistance of 
the powerful Spanish hosts that had taken possession of the 
gates. 

Three millions of dollars had been the amount spent by 
the Spanish authorities in vain attempts at relief during the 
two years that the siege had lasted. Had the city been 
readily approachable from the land, the feeble and badly 
organized forces of the besiegers would have been defeated 
long before, and have been scattered or captured by the 
veteran Spanish armies. Middelburg, then, would have re- 
mained as much of a Spanish stronghold as were Amster- 
dam to the north, and Antwerp and Brussels to the south. 
But fortunately there was a wide expanse of water between 
the Spanish headquarters and the besieging burghers. The 



The Capture of Middelburg. 261 

dauntless courage and superior skill of the Sea Beggars, in 
their frail ships, proved an insurmountable barrier to Span- 
ish prowess, and Middelburg was gained over to the cause of 
the patriots by the men that, from freebooters, had become 
the staunchest champions of their country's freedom. ^ 



/ 



Chapter Nine, 

The Relief of Leyden. 

HARDLY had the waves compelled the Spaniards 
to withdraw from Alkmaar, when it was resolved 
to force Leyden to return to the obedience of the 
king. On October 30th Alba's son, Don Frederick, 
led the king's army against that city, and began the invest- 
ment. This time the costly experiences of Haarlem and 
of Alkmaar were not to be repeated. There was to be no 
storming. Starvation would be resorted to, and it was to be 
brought about by the most rigid investment. Leyden 's 
population of 15,000 and garrison of 500, one of whose offi- 
cers was Treslong — the great Sea Beggar — were to be starved 
into submission. Unfortunately, Leyden had neglected to 
provide for the unexpected siege, and, therefore, when the 
Spanish hosts arrived, the time for receiving supplies was 
past. 

When the investment had lasted a little more than six 
weeks. Alba left the country, December i8th, 1573, and his 
son Frederick, accompanying his father, gave over the 
supreme command to Don Francisco De Valdez, who con- 
tinued the siege. After four months, and when the conse- 
quences were beginning to tell, the prince's brothers, Louis 
and Henry of Nassau, fortunately created a diversion by in- 
vading the country from the east. On April 14th, 1574, the 
fatal battle of Mook took place, which resulted not only in 
262 



The Relief of Leyden. 263 

the total defeat of the invading force, but in the death of 
the two Nassau brothers, who lost their lives battling 
nobly for the freedom of the Netherlands. The Spanish 
troops, which had been withdrawn from before the city to 
resist this invasion, reappeared before Leyden on May 26th, 
1574. The authorities, not believing that the siege would 
be resumed, again had neglected to provision the town. 
Soon the sad consequences of this neglect became visible. 
The enemy had thrown up no less than sixty-two redoubts 
for the purpose of closing every avenue of approach ; and 
every road and canal leading to the city had been occupied 
by Spanish posts. 

The Dutch historian W. J. Hofdyk, in " Leyden's Wee en 
Zegepraal " (Leyden's Woe and Victory) picturesquely and 
dramatically relates the story of the city's siege and relief. 
A partial translation of the last chapter of his book, " De 
Zegepraal " — in which the services of the Sea Beggars are 
so graphically described — follows below : 

^^The Victory. 
I. 

HILE, among the enemy, the report, some- 
times denied, but ever again reaffirmed, was 
circulating — even in far distant Antwerp, 
where Requesens had his headquarters — 
that the prince had died, but that his demise was kept a 
secret, the hero of the Netherlands had happily recovered, 
and was again active. 

" About this same time, the River Maas, flowing before 
Rotterdam, gloried in the fact that her yellow waves were 
carrying the rehef expedition. On the third day of Septem- 



U 



w 



264 The Sea Beggars. 

ber a Flushing ship, armed with 52 pieces, had arrived be- 
fore the quay. A few days later Rotterdam's harbor 
swarmed with vessels, that cast anchor there, and, with 
sailors and soldiers, quickly filling the town. Among the 
ships, first of all, seven Kromstevens were noticed, heavily 
armed with artillery, and manned by 800 sailors. Other 
vessels had been equipped with less heavy artillery, con- 
sisting of over a hundred iron and brass pieces, double and 
single swivel-guns, and many pieces of lighter caliber. 
There were also several flat-bottomed vessels, — subsequently 
augmented by many others, equipped at Gouda and Delft, 
bringing the number to at least 200, — each armed with one 
brass piece, some of them with two pieces, on the fore- 
castle, and from two to six swivel-guns on the sides — pro- 
pelled by oars ranging from ten to eighteen in number. 

" The public houses along the quay were, at the time, 
filled with men whose appearance was well disposed to force 
Rotterdam's maidens to seek safety in flight. They were 
those Zeeland sailors, who, initiated into the profession of 
arms on the ships of the Sea Beggars, had, since that time, 
with the greatest boldness, continued the struggle on the 
Zeeland waters, even as far distant as before the walls of 
Antwerp. The great majority of them were sturdy fellows 
with weather-beaten countenances and close-cropped hair, but 
with shaggy beards and fierce mustaches. A large propor- 
tion of the faces was marked with cuts, gashes, and scars — 
their badges of honor. Many had even been mutilated, and, 
consequently, hobbled on wooden legs, or carried an arm 
lamed or made stiff through wounds. But whether able to 
use only one or both arms, — they are united in courage, 
bordering upon rashness ; they are one in their hatred of 
Spain. The cruel martyrdom of the racks and pyres of the 
Inquisition, seen with their own eyes, were yet fully remem- 



The Relief of Leyden. 265 

bered by them, and served to keep alive the fury against 
everything Spanish. 

" Without disciphne these fanatical sons of liberty consti- 
tuted an actual danger for the very cause that they so ar- 
dently supported. Under thoughtful leaders they consti- 
tuted the material force whose formidable activity had 
already caused the most severe losses to Spain. 

" And those leaders were present ; for it was not the Zee- 
land sailors alone that had disembarked at Rotterdam. 

" The prince had entrusted the chief command of the 
expedition to that tried admiral, Louis Boisot. Born at 
Brussels, he was now the famous hero of the Zeeland waters, 
where, at Romerswaal and at Gorishoek he had destroyed 
the Spanish armada, and had subsequently captured their 
admiral on the Scheldt, within sight of Antwerp. 

" Besides him were present the gallant admiral of Zierikzee, 
Adriaan Willems, and the daring vice-admiral of Flushing, 
Cornells Claassen, whose tremendous power the Spaniards 
had felt on the Swin and near Roemerswaal. 

" Among the ship captains none was more prominent than 
Joost De Moor, the son of that bold Zeelander of Flemish 
origin, Jan De Moor, to whose courage the defeated D'Avila 
could bear witness. 

" Many a savage graybeard, also, looked respectfully up 
to a young nobleman only 27 years old, who, more than six 
years before, had unsheathed his sword against Spain, and 
had assisted in gaining over Den Briel — yonker Frederick 
Van Dorp, a nephew of the admiral. 

" There was also a Brabant nobleman, a friend of Van 
Dorp's uncle Aernout. He it was — yonker Philip Van der 
Aa — who, with great boldness, had surprised Mechelen, and 
who, the year before, had been Sonoy's able adviser, and 
had been instrumental in fortifying the cities in the northern 



266 The Sea Beggars. « 

part of the province of North Holland. He had a promi- 
nent share in the measures taken for the relief of Alkmaar ; 
he now took part in the relief of Leyden. 

" Kennemer freebooters from the North of Holland — bold 
partisans in the cause of their country's liberty against its 
enemies — had also turned their vessels' prows southward, and 
had come to join in the attempt to relieve the sorely-pressed 
city. The principal one among them was Joachim Cleyn- 
sorgh, well known among his sailors as a man of great 
experience and bold courage, and who, at the beginning of 
the year, had been appointed by Sonoy commander of the 
North Holland galleys. 

" The soldiers, destined for the fleet, were commanded by 
Colonel De la Garde, a soldier as active as he was able, 
whose sharp blade the Spaniards in the regions of the Zaan 
had been taught to respect and fear. Among the gallant 
officers serving under him, were Leyden's former governor, 
Noyelles ; the Huguenot, Durand ; Noyelles' lieutenant, the 
Italian Citadelle, whose intrepidity was equal to the most 
dangerous undertaking ; Bultran, one of the prince's vassals ; 
and several other valiant men whose courage was soon to be 
made manifest. 

" As the prince himself was not yet strong enough to risk 
the fatigues of a voyage, he despatched the Admiral Boisot 
to Schieland and La Garde, and councillor Peter Wasted to 
Delfland, to acquaint him thoroughly with the condition of 
the rising waters. And the reports of the emissaries were of 
such a nature that he gave orders to retard the sailing of the 
fleet a few days longer. 

"When [on the evening of Friday, September the loth] 
the sun had set, and darkness was enveloping the fields ; 
when the silence of night rendered it more easy to discern 
distant noises ; the people on Leyden's southern ramparts 



The Relief of Leyden. 267 

heard the sound of cannon and the rattle of musketry com- 
ing from afar, in the direction of the Boundary division. 
While they were listening, — sometimes with bated breath 
and bounding heart, — the sky in the same direction assumed 
a reddish hue, and soon flames were seen to ascend — all of 
which pointed to one explanation only : relief was approach- 
ing, and friends were battling with the enemy. The hearts 
of the people were gladdened by a happy expectation, and 
the joyful news traveled soon through the city, — relief was 
coming nearer. 

" Indeed, the bold attempt — unique in the fruitful history 
of the struggle of nations — had been entered upon. That 
same day the admirals, with the deputies of the States and of 
the admiralty, had joined the fleet — ^whose crews of soldiers, 
as well as of sailors, were complete — and now the anchors 
were heaved, the sails hoisted, the oars plied, and, filled 
with enthusiasm and courage, they sailed out of the Rotte. 
This portion of the fleet numbered about thirty galleys ; other 
ships, also, were at the same time departing from Gouda and 
Delft. Supply ships, two companies of pioneers, and what- 
ever else was deemed necessary for so adventurous and yet 
so holy an expedition, had been provided ; and thus the 
vessels, propelled by the mighty strokes of the oarsmen, had 
directed their course toward the Boundary division. 

" The farther north they came, and the nearer they ap- 
proached the Boundary division, — while darkness was more 
closely enveloping the submerged land, and Boisot was not 
able to consult his ' Silver mounted Compass ' without the 
aid of a lighted lantern, — it doubtless became very quiet on 
the fl.eet ; for they were nearing the enemy's outposts, and 
they wanted, if possible, to surprise them. The Boundary 
division rose only a foot and a half above the water, and, 
conformable to the prince's excellent plans, was to be cut 



268 The Sea Beggars. 

between the Reguliersdam and Wilsveen, but nearest to the 
first-named place. About one hour after the steeple of 
Reguliersdam had in its dark solitude announced the mid- 
night hour, the fleet was near the impeding dyke. Colonel 
La Garde and Captains Durand and Catteville, with about 
150 of their men, besides a number of diggers with shovels 
and spades, — protected by the guns of sixteen galleys, — 
clambered up against the slope, and had already sufficiently 
entrenched themselves in two places on the summit of the 
dyke before the enemy became aware of their presence. 

" Within half an hour, however, — for, besides the treacher- 
ous smell of the burning fuses, it was impossible to throw 
up trenches and cut the dyke in complete darkness, — the 
Spaniards perceived that something was wrong, and imme- 
diately attempted to right it. From Zoetermeer several 
companies of infantry, eager for battle, hastened to the spot. 
At the same time, cavalry was approaching from Wilsveen. 

" In the dead of night the roar of cannon thundered 
across the water, augmented by the sharp and repeated 
detonations of musketry, the echoes reverberating far and 
wide. 

" For the purpose of leaving more room for cuttings, the 
intrenchments had been thrown up four or five musket shots' 
distance from one another. This distance was really too 
far, as the galleys could not keep close enough together, but 
were obliged to separate for the sake of supporting the de- 
fense in both directions. At the eastern intrenchment, 
moreover, there appeared a fresh impediment. Boisot had 
taken up a position near the dyke, and had insisted upon 
the garrison permitting the attacking Spaniards to approach 
close enough to receive the full charge. But the French 
soldiers, no longer able to control their ardor, attacked the 
enemy — too soon. However, six galleys were able to 



The Relief of Leyden. 269 

unite their fire, thereby causing sad havoc among the Span- 
iards, who, with the greatest gallantry, made two attacks 
but were forced at last to retire. 

" La Garde personally commanded at the westerly intrench- 
ment, and though the Spaniards had here the support of 
their cavalry, they did not fare any better than on the oppo- 
site side. The defenders, however, — hardly twenty strong, — 
remained within the breastworks, because the assailants — 
estimated at more than 150 — were on this side exposed to 
the fire of the galleys, and would not, in the experienced 
colonel's judgment, come near enough to think of storming. 
A gallant defense, therefore, would be sufficient. Here, 
also, all performed their duty so courageously, that cavalry 
as well as infantry were obliged to discontinue the attack, 
and seek safety in flight. The artillery of the galleys, 
being able to reach the retiring enemy for a short distance, 
still unhorsed a few of the enemy's cavalry. 

" The "battle had lasted five hours. The dawn of dav re- 
vealed that on the Spanish side twelve dead had been left 
behind. That loss was certainly not heavy, and the victory 
had cost the victors even less, only one soldier and one 
sailor having been killed. A few others among the sailors 
had been wounded, among them the admiral's helmsman, 
who had been shot through the arm. 

" The rising sun disclosed a most encouraging scene : 
the diggers had been laboring assiduously, and the foaming 
waves of the River Maas were inundating the verdant plains 
of Rhineland. 

II. 

" In the same night that the battle was raging in the 
drowned polders at the Boundary division, four watchful, 
daring men left Leyden's gate for the purpose of hastening 



270 The Sea Beggars. 

by different roads to the prince. They were Jan Frick, 
Lubbert De Ketelboeter, Joris Slot, and Heynrik Nachte- 
gael, all having promised under oath not to lose any time, 
but to hasten back to the city as- soon as they should have 
learned ' the condition and opportunity of the relief.' They 
carried letters from the magistrate, ' in which information 
was given concerning the exhausted condition of the burgh- 
ers, and their wasted condition by long starvation, on account 
of which their guards also were weak ; praying that the re- 
lief should be hastened ; fearing that the Boundary division 
had not yet been cut, as they did not perceive any water.' 

" This anxious solicitude, this sad complaint, this urgent 
prayer was no exaggeration, it rather presented too weak a 
picture of the real state of affairs. 

" Assisted by the darkness of night, between Septem- 
ber 14th and 15 th, the recently-despatched messengers suc- 
ceeded in reentering the city. They brought letters from 
Rotterdam, not from the prince alone, but also from the 
* well-disposed allies, the knights, nobles, and cities of Hol- 
land, all representing the States of the said country, besides 
the councillors near his excellence.' 

" The following morning the city-hall bell, as was the 
custom almost daily, sounded. This time, however, it did not 
ring to assemble the people to listen to the publication of 
some ordinance, rendered necessary by the distress of the 
moment, but for the purpose of publicly informing the 
burghers that they could yet rely upon the princely motto, 

' Your protector will not sleep ! ' 

" The answer of the States, communicated to the eager 
multitude gathered near the Blue Stone, was encouraging 
enough : * It was known to all people that they spared 
neither labor nor expense to relieve the city. Neither did 



The Relief of Leyden. 271 

they doubt that the people of Leyden, on their part, would 
show the necessary constancy, prove themselves faithful 
allies, and reject all the enemy's insidious and alluring blan- 
dishments, by which said enemy was endeavoring to get them 
into his power. They also ought to retain the prize, that, in 
the estimation of all the world, they had already gained. 
They informed the burghers, at the same time, that the 
messengers sent out by them, had, with their own eyes, 
witnessed the cutting of the Boundary division.' 

" The prince's letter — in which he * very much thanked 
the burghers for the great loyalty they had shown him, and 
in which he assured them that they should not doubt, 
through the blessing of God, that victory was near ' — was 
to be considered as the great seal to the declaration of the 
States, and inspired the suffering people with renewed con- 
fidence, notwithstanding the fact that only 74 head of cattle 
were slaughtered that day. 

" On Wednesday the 15th, the tireless Van Hout selected 
two sheets of paper ; one was destined for the States, the 
other for Boisot. To the former he wrote by authority of 
the magistrates, that ' they joyfully thanked God and the 
States for the aforesaid cutting of the dyke,' but they also 
* made known their distress, and desired that the work 
begun should be proceeded with for their relief.' The sec- 
ond letter, addressed to Admiral Boisot, had not been 
finished as quickly ; for it was written in cypher, about which 
they had already agreed. In this letter, also, the woful 
condition of affairs was described, while Boisot was urgently 
requested ' to exert every effort ' for a speedy relief, and 
also to send full information about the part they were expected 
to take in it : * it would be seen that they did not intend to 
hang back.' 

" And they had abundant reasons for feeling encouraged 



272 The Sea Beggars. 

in their determination to maintain their resistance. From 
the dawn of the same day — about four o'clock in the morn- 
ing — till full noon the incessant war of artillery was plainly 
audible from the south. Since early morn heavy smoke- 
clouds had been seen ascending there, interspersed with 
columns of flame. The watchers on the city-wall near the 
Vlietgat, suddenly perceived distant flames, leaping high into 
the air. immediately followed by a huge pillar of black 
smoke. A little later they pointed out to one another an 
unusual commotion on the road leading from Zoetermeer to 
the Wedde. They soon discovered that this was caused by 
large numbers of Spanish cavalry, who, in no great order, 
were hurrying in the direction of Voorschoten. Could they 
be fugitives that had already been chased by the prince's 
men from their intrenchments ? Reports from the eastern 
ramparts seemed to convey an affirmative reply to this 
question. A number of barges had been seen there to 
arrive at Leyderdorp from the south, subsequently moving 
up the Zyl, and going in the direction of Haarlem, by way 
of the lake. Moving in the way that they did, it gave rise 
to the surmise that they were a transport of wounded men. 

" The truth is that sharp fighting had taken place there. 

" The cheering heard on the preceding Friday at the cut 
in the Boundary division, had been, in one respect at least, 
a little too premature. After the waters had entered through 
the gap, and they intended to make for the Zoetermeer 
Lake, across the inundated fields of the Drymans polder, it 
was discovered that this polder's southerly dyke, the so- 
called Green road, still stood a foot and a half above the 
inundation. 

"The dawn of Tuesday, September 14th, disclosed great 
activity and bustle on the fleet, which had been increased 
by some galleys and supply ships. The sun had hardly 



The Relief of Ley den. 273 

begun to spread its light over the expanse of water, when 
La Garde, with 600 musketeers, took possession of the dyke 
and hurriedly threw up intrenchments, which was greatly 
favored by the topography of the dyke, indented as it was 
with several depressions ; while the nearest enemy was on 
another road, a musket-shot distant. To protect the in- 
trenchments, Boisot flanked them with armed vessels to the 
right and left at only a musket-shot distance. He now 
thought that he would be able, through the several pools 
and canals, to enter the Zoetermeer Lake, when a fresh and 
very embarrassing impediment presented itself : the water 
on the fields was not high enough to make straight for the 
Front road, which served as the Northern dyke of the 
Drymans polder. Only one canal led into the lake, and this 
canal was spanned by a bridge, where it cut through the 
aforesaid road, or dyke. 

" Now they lay becalmed, as it were, between two fires. 
Toward the east, at somewhat more than a mile distance, 
the steeple of Zoetermeer raised its spire from among the 
trees ; toward the west, only a little farther away, the 
chapel of Wilsveen was visible — both villages occupied by 
strong bodies of Spanish troops. It was plainly apparent 
from the ships that the Spaniards, fully aware of the impor- 
tance of their positions, were busily engaged in fortifying 
the bridge and the houses near it, so as effectively to check 
the progress of the Beggars, and render it impossible for 
them to get through. 

" La Garde, commanding the advance of the fleet, opened 
fire upon the enemy, but soon perceived that it caused very 
little damage, and that the number and caliber of his artil- 
lery ought to be considerably increased. After a council of 
war, he went the next day to Delft, whither the prince had 
preceded him, to be better able to lend every possible assist- 
i8 



274 The Sea Beggars. 

ance in the great undertaking. And here La Garde made 
his report. The prince now summoned the ingenious Ant- 
werper, Johan Van Asseliers, ' Commissary-general of the 
Artillery and munitions of War.' La Garde, in company 
with the latter, and with four grain barges, all equipped 
with a twenty-six pounder, and with a peculiarly-equipped 
warship, " The Ark of Delft ", rejoined the fleet on the follow- 
ing Thursday. These additional vessels, flat-bottomed, and 
of only two feet draught, had been protected on the fore- 
castle by a double wall of heavy boards, filled between with 
wet nets, so that the artillerists stood shot-free. 

" Immediately after the arrival of these reinforcements, a 
council of war was convened on board the flagship. Here 
it was resolved not to waste any more time, but, after leav- 
ing a sufficient guard of men and ships at the trenches on 
the Boundary division and on the Green road, to attack the 
enemy early the next day at the bridge on the Front road. 



IIL 



" Thus the morning of the 17th day of September dawned 
upon the inundated fields between the Green road and the 
Front road, where, at this time, the yellow waves of the 
river Maas mingled with the brown waters of the marshes. 
Notwithstanding the exertions of sailors, as well as those of 
commanders, to get everything into shape, and the ships 
into motion, the hands on Zoetermeer's steeple pointed to 
the hour of eight before they were ready to begin the attack 
upon the Spanish positions. 

" Valdez himself had gone to Zoetermeer for the purpose 
of personally directing the defense. The peculiarities of 
the place had been ably utilized to fortify it. All the houses 
on both sides of the bridge commanded one another ; small 



The Relief of Leyden. 275 

trenches had, moreover, been dug at various points ; while 
the whole length of the dyke had been provided with ample 
breastworks. Other obstructions, both natural and artificial, 
impeded in several places the approach to the slope of the 
dyke — now becoming muddy, although there was not yet much 
water — thus offering additional protection to the Spaniards, 
who were stationed on the fortified bridge and within and 
without the houses, and were said to be thirty companies 
strong. 

" Notwithstanding this strong position, Valdez regarded 
with some misgivings the hostile fleet, advancing under his 
very eye against himself and his army. There in the van, 
and leading the attack, he perceived a clumsy, queerly-con- 
structed flat-bottomed vessel, without rudder or sails — a 
floating fortress, as it appeared to him. It was the Ark of 
Delft. Had he been in a position to examine it closer, he 
would have perceived two prows ; for the warship consisted 
of two vessels, lashed together, around them a breastwork 
built of walls thick enough to resist musketballs. There 
was room enough for fifty armed men, while twelve other 
men turned the axis that set in motion the paddlewheels be- 
tween the vessels. 

" Without being aware of the many difficulties awaiting 
him, Boisot quietly proceeded on the canal leading to the 
bridge. In another stream, to the right of him, was Adriaan 
Willems, with two of the Delft vessels, and to the left were 
the other two. More ships, armed with nearly sixty pieces, 
followed. Thus they approached the enemy, and at last, 
about eight o'clock in the morning, they gave him the full 
charge. And the nimble Zeeland Beggars proved so expert 
in loading and discharging the artillery, that the roar of the 
cannon incessantly echoed and reechoed in all directions. 
The musketeers, not less expert in discharging their muskets 



276 The Sea Beggars. 

sent the bullets whistling so incessantly that Valdez declared 
that, excepting the attack upon the Emperor's troops at In- 
goldstadt, he had never experienced so terrific a fire. The 
Spanish commander, for the purpose of supporting his 
musketeers, had put into action two field-pieces, which kept 
up a continuous fire ; to the great detriment of his assailants, 
he thought, as the numerous vessels were so close together 
that not a single shot would be fired in vain. But he was 
mistaken. Only four or five persons on the fleet were killed, 
and a few others were wounded. But excepting the ships on 
the canal, which ran below the bridge, the rest of the fleet was 
hardly able to approach the dyke within musketshot. On 
this account the brisk fire of the Beggars caused smoke 
enough, but failed to dislodge the enemy. 

" Protected by the fire of the ships, however, Captains 
Catteville and Durant, besides the latter's lieutenant, Guil- 
leresse, ventured in a small boat to the shore, and with thirty 
of their arquebusiers, stationed behind piles of turf, caused 
considerable losses to the Spaniards. 

" About noon, Boisot perceived the uselessness of the 
attack. Meanwhile, the grain barges had sprung heavy 
leaks, owing to the jolting caused by the heavy firing from 
their decks. Boisot accordingly gave the order to retreat, 
which took place in perfect order. The French on the 
dyke unfortunately perceived it too late. The enemy began 
attacking them in large numbers and they hurriedly sought 
safety in their skiff. The little vessel, however, capsized, 
and Catteville and Guilleresse, besides seven soldiers, lost 
their lives in the water. Some of the others were overtaken 
by the Spaniards and killed, but Durant and the majority of 
the soldiers escaped by swimming, and were saved by the 
ships. 

" ' I don't believe they will again attempt to break 



The Relief of Leyden. 2"]^ 

through ; they have suffered too much for that,' thought Val- 
dez, and he boasted of his great success after a fire so ter- 
rific, and one that had not cost him more than nine killed. 
He did not, however, mention his wounded, who, besides the 
killed, had been transported in vessels to Utrecht and 
Haarlem. 

" Still, the general's judgment was correct. But the 
men of the relief were far from giving up the attempt. 
After the retreat, a council of war was again convened, and 
Van der Aa was consequently requested by Boisot and La 
Garde to proceed to Delft and acquaint the prince with the 
state of affairs. He was, at the same time, to ask the prince 
whether it would not be better to storm the redoubt at the 
Leyden Dam, for the purpose of gaining entrance into the 
Vliet ? He was probably accompanied by a young volun- 
teer, who, two years before, had risked his life in the futile 
attempt to relieve Haarlem, and who was now prevented by 
sickness from remaining longer with the fleet — the 27 year 
old Johan Van Oldenbarnevelt. 

" The prince, considering what ought to be done, and 
done immediately, addressed himself to Wasted. Having 
been informed by Zevenhuizen's secretary, Leendert Pieter- 
sen, and by two country people, Jeroen Cornelissen of 
Zoetermeer, and Cornelis Willemsen of Benthuysen, that near 
the Zevenhoven watergates, opposite the Zegwaard road, 
between Zoetermeer and Benthuysen, there was a good place 
for cutting their way through, this enthusiastic patriot there- 
upon departed himself for the fleet. He was accompanied 
by a ship-carpenter of Zoetermeer, — Wolfert Adriaensen, — 
who had volunteered to act as pilot, because he was born at 
Leyden, and was thoroughly familiar with the surrounding 
country. 

" Pending these movements, the fleet, meanwhile, had for 



278 The Sea Beggars. 

two days remained inactive. After the seventeenth, the wind 
had shifted and now blew strongly from the northwest, 
attended by heavy showers. There was no time to be lost. 
La Garde at first intended to make a reconnoissance with 
two or three light vessels. After a council of war, however, 
the larger part of the fleet — for the purpose of deceiving the 
enemy — remained opposite the Front road. But in the 
evening, eight galleys, with about eighty French and Walloon 
arquebusiers and sixty pioneers, sailed in an easterly direc- 
tion toward the Zevenhoven watergates. Boisot, La 
Garde, and Wasted were present ; and the greater depth of 
the fields, owing to which the water stood higher, rendered 
the expedition a success. The watergates were not guarded ; 
the houses were unoccupied. The Spaniards had left there 
two days before, not having the slightest idea that any 
attempt would be made against that point. The night was 
now spent in restless activity. Favored by a moonless sky, 
the pioneers went to work, and persisted with unabated 
energy, notwithstanding the fact that the water rose up to 
their knees, and the cold wind chilled them through. The 
watergates were demolished and widened, and to the north 
and south of them intrenchments were thrown up, strong 
enough, in the judgment of the officers, to resist the attack 
of at least two thousand men. Captains Bouchard and 
Ladrierre occupied the trench toward Zoetermeer ; the Lord 
of Citadelle and Captain Vaurigault took up a position in 
the redoubt toward Benthuysen, and forty arquebusiers were 
placed in each fortification. 

" Yet all this could not be accomplished without making 
some noise. Nor was it possible to work without light, 
however dim. The Spanish garrison at Benthuysen, there- 
fore, perceived that something was happening. Panic- 
stricken, they profited by the darkness, and sought safety in 



The Relief of Leyden. 279 

precipitate flight. As soon as this became known, Captain 
Citadelle, early the next morning, immediately proceeded to 
the village, and occupied the abandoned position. 

" While Boisot and Noyelles remained behind to protect 
the intrenchments, and to bombard fiercely a trench on the 
Zoetermeer road. La Garde had returned to the fleet, which 
received orders to join the galleys in a body. The gallant 
colonel, with only twenty-five sharpshooters, brought up the 
rear, to protect the Ark of Delft, whose awkward build, 
together with the constant shifting of the canal bottoms, 
had caused much difficulty in those marshy regions. The 
double prow scarcely made any headway. The impetuous 
La Garde — impatient at the loss of so much precious time — 
already intended to set fire to the ship, when Vice-Admiral 
Claessen came to his assistance, by removing the cannon, 
thus lightening the heavy vessel, so that she was soon again 
afloat. Three hours had been lost, but the Spaniards at the 
Zoetermeer bridge did not even attempt to profit by the 
delay. Yet, with only fifty musketeers, they could, according 
to the judgment of the Beggars themselves, have caused 
considerable damage to their departing enemy. 

" Now the fleet sailed unopposed to the Zegwaard road, 
and after La Garde's arrival there, Boisot again convoked a 
council of war, to discuss what was to be done next. 

" Some were for an immediate advance ; others advised to 
tarry a little longer for the sake of more thoroughly recon- 
noitering the course to be taken, and the better to be ready 
fittingly to receive the enemy, who, they thought, was likely 
to appear suddenly either there or at some other point near by. 
They also deemed it prudent to await there the arrival of 
the provisions, two-thirds of which had remained behind. 
Boisot, however, believed it wise not to grant the enemy 
any respite, but to follow up the advantages gained, and, if 



28o The Sea Beggars. 

possible, to show themselves that very day even to the 
people of Leyden, whose courage would then be much 
increased. 

" Thus it was resolved. Now the welcome news came 
that the Spanish soldiers, stationed at Zoetermeer, had 
unexpectedly followed the example of their Benthuysen com- 
rades, and had retreated in the direction of Leyden. Valdez 
perceiving that their occupation there had become use- 
less, had recalled them. The Zoetermeer redoubt was 
now occupied by Captain Cret, with three companies of foot- 
soldiers, whereupon Boisot, in the afternoon, again went 
west with twenty vessels, each armed with eight arque- 
busiers. Propelled by sails and oars, they sped forward 
into the drowned lands below the Weipoort. Boisot, Durant, 
and the Dutch nobles led the van ; the restless and active 
La Garde commanded the rear, which had been somewhat 
retarded by the execution of several necessary measures. 
Fortunately, the admiral found here wide ditches and canals 
before the prow, and also had the new pilot, Adriaensen, on 
board ; for the fields of the Weipoort appeared to be rather 
high, the waters having not yet penetrated there. The 
trees — in many other spots immersed to the lower branches 
of the crown — had not been touched here, and the cattle still 
pastured undisturbed in the meadows. 

" The Spaniards probably had no idea that the bold 
Beggars would ever venture here ; and, mystified by the stay 
of the six ships at the Boundary division, — of which they 
knew not what to think, — had not taken any precautions in 
this section, although they had occupied a fortified position 
on the little lake, the Noord Aa, which the van would soon 
reach, and where all the ships of the fleet could unite. 

" Boisot had hardly approached the little lake, — to almost 
within musketshot distance, and near two dwellings, — when 



The Relief of Leyden. 281 

from his galley it was seen that a body of Spanish infantry, 
between two hundred and three hundred strong, was pre- 
cipitately retreating from the houses, setting fire to one, and 
hurriedly attempting to reach a third, which had evidently 
been fortified. Boisot encouraged his row^ers to double their 
efforts, in order to cut off the retreat, but the fugitives were 
too quick for him, and safely reached their shelter. Upon 
approaching the house, the galley was suddenly greeted with a 
hail of bullets, coming from the house, as well as from the 
trenches, and even from behind the shelter of a few hay- 
stacks. Boisot vigorously replied to this fire, his artillery 
serving so effectively that the Spanish fire was at last 
silenced, while hea\y clouds of smoke enveloped the com- 
batants. About midnight he deemed it expedient to warn 
the enemy once more of his presence, and a number of 
musketeers were ordered to discharge their pieces. But 
their fire was replied to by only four or five shots. 

'' And when, after having passed the night with effective 
preparations, the Beggar Chief, on the following morning, 
intended to storm the stronghold, he found the house de- 
serted, and the trenches emptj-. The Spanish troops, under 
cover of darkness of night, had noiselessly quitted their 
camp, and sought refuge at Zoeterwoude. There Valdez 
had joined Captain Ayala, and was ioTtiiying the dyke, full 
of wrath about the storm, the ever-increasing waters, and the 
advancing Beggars. 

" The doughty Zeeland admiral, on the contrary, elated at 
the favorable turn of affairs, now exchanged the sword for 
the pen, and, in a happy frame of mind, wrote a cordial 
letter to the Lord of Noordwyk, in which he informed him 
of the proximity of the fleet, and, in pleasant expectation of 
renewing an old acquaintanceship, bespoke for himself 
quarters in the lord's house. But the messenger that had 



282 The Sea Beggars. 

been despatched with the letter, finding the roads too closely 
guarded by the enemy, returned on board without having 
been able to reach Leyden and deliver his messages. 



IV. 



" And within Leyden the people, from morning till night, 
were daily scanning the southern horizon whence salvation 
was to come. With prayerful hearts they were anxiously, 
longingly sweeping the green meadows to see whether they 
were not yet turning gray with the rushing waters, that were 
to wash away the sorrow and the hunger and the great mor- 
tality. 

" For the situation within the city's gates was sad, and 
sorrowful scenes had been experienced. At one time, a 
number of famished burghers had gathered around burgo- 
master Van der Werff as he was walking along the street 
unattended. Men and women with lean features, hollow 
cheeks, and emaciated limbs called his attention to their 
condition, showed him their dying children, and implored 
him to surrender the city, that they might not succumb like 
so many others had succumbed to the misery that had over- 
taken them. 

" Then this man gave the following reply : ' Hark, my 
dear fellow citizens ! I have sworn an oath, which I hope 
to God, the giver of all good things, I shall have the strength 
to keep ! If my death can benefit you — I must die some 
time — it is the same to me whether you kill me now or the 
enemy kills me. My cause is just. If, therefore, my death 
can benefit you — take my body, cut it to pieces, and divide 
them as far as they will go. I shall not complain.' 

" Utterly unable to retort to so manly a speech, the dis- 
satisfied burghers slunk away, ashamed and silent. The 



The Relief of Ley den. 283 

report of the occurrence spread over all the town like wild- 
fire. Every one repeated the noble speech of the dauntless 
magistrate, and faithful hearts were inspired with renewed 
courage on account of it. Carried away by their enthusiasm, 
many a burgher now proceeded to the ramparts, declaring 
that, while wielding the sword with his right hand, he would 
rather eat his left arm than surrender the town to the Span- 
iards. 

" The historian that noted down the noble conduct of bur- 
gomaster Van der Werff , from the lips of the Leyden people 
of those days, was impelled to add : ' This is a beautiful 
lesson for all magistrates, especially in our time of tribu- 
lation, faithfully to live up to their oath to remain loyal and 
constant, and to meet and lead their burghers in such a 
manner that they will be willing to sacrifice their own lives, 
provided God be glorified, and the pubhc cause be well 
served, by the same.' 

" About the same time, six women, a man, and eight chil- 
dren, who could no longer bear their misery in the town, 
left the place in a boat. They had received permission 
of the magistrate to go to Warmond, and thought they 
would be safe in the company of a trumpeter. [This was a 
Spanish trumpeter who had been sent by the Spanish 
authorities for an answer to letters which, some time pre- 
viously, had been dispatched to the Leyden magistrate, con- 
cerning the city's surrender.] 

" The fugitives were mistaken. The inhuman soldiers at 
the Poelschans treated them even more cruelly than they had 
treated a party of refugees that had left the city in July. 
Despoiled of all their clothing, the poor refugees were then 
chased back to the city whose burghers, out of pity for their 
deplorable condition, again took them in. 



284 The Sea Beggars. 

V. 

" And from Leyden's southern ramparts the people were 
ever looking with prayerful longing to see whether the water 
was not coming, — the saving water; for the appearance 
of which all were pining with parched souls. And be- 
hold, — when the Thursday of the twenty-third of Sep- 
tember was dawning in the heavens, — did it not seem as 
if those skies over there, toward the southeast, were being 
reflected upon the fields between the Weypoort and the 
Rhine ? 

" And they gazed, and gazed again — although their eyes 
had sunk deep into their sockets. And it proved to be no 
optical deception : the water washed up against the house 
Te Swieten, the banks of the Weypoort Vliet were covered 
and had become invisible, and all the surrounding fields 
were inundated. It was plain, therefore, that, in this direc- 
tion, a polder dyke had been cut, and the relief expedition 
was approaching. The news soon spread throughout the 
city, and in the midst of want and suffering the courage of 
thousands was heightened. 

" If they could only render some assistance ! But alas — 
the power of the eagle's wing had been broken, the strength 
of man had been sapped. Prior to this, posts that were 
guarded by ten men were now sometimes occupied by no 
more than three emaciated beings ; some of them, who had 
to pass bridges on their way, were seen to take hold of the 
railing to support their faltering steps. And it often hap- 
pened that men arriving at the walls, were seen to creep up 
against the slope, in order to reach the breastworks. Still, 
they did all they could. The following day two more brass 
pieces were added to the battery at the Hoogewoerds gate, 
to engage the garrisons of the House Te Brem and at 



The Relief of Leyden. 285 

Lammen, and thus to occupy the enemy with skirmishes as 
soon as the reUef fleet was sighted. 

" But it ought to appear soon ; for the distress grew 
worse ever}' day. On the twent}'-second fift}*-one head of 
cattle had been killed, and, for the first time, horses to the 
number of twent}'-two. To-day sixteen horses were butchered, 
but no cows, so that the little milk they yet gave could be 
utilized for the confined women. 

" And now the tension among the people attained fever 
heat. Every day they expected to see sails appear on the 
horizon, bringing horns of abundance to be poured into the 
cit}''s lap ; but not even a single messenger arrived with 
news. The wind shitted to the northeast, and pushed the 
waves backward rather than forward, while from far and 
near the enemy's outposts were seen concentrating themselves. 
Valdez moved the southern army-corps nearer to the city, 
heightened and strengthened the dykes, and did w^hat he 
could to be prepared to turn back both the waters and the 
Sea Beggars. It was at that time that an officer at the 
Spanish headquarters at Leyderdorp bragged to a young 
man sent thither from the cit}^ : ' It is just as possible for 
your prince to save the town as it is possible for us to reach 
the stars with our hands ! ' 

" Still the gallant magistrates persevered. With the most 
sublime self-sacrifice also, they were supported by coura- 
geous men from among the people. The old court-messenger, 
Comelis Ulr}xks, had died, and his three sons had now 
taken upon themselves the care of their * old aged mother.' 
The second one, Willem, a young man ;^2 years of age, was 
a lover of pigeons. He had saved eight of them, — great 
treasures in view of the pressing want, daily growing more 
acute. For no messengers arrived, and the waters that 
were to carr)- the fleet approached no nearer. The only 



286 The Sea Beggars. 

thing gaining undoubted headway, was the misery within 
the walls. And now the musician was requested by the 
city authorities to give up his precious birds to act as letter, 
carriers, as had been done at Haarlem. As he thought of 
his gray-haired mother, and his older and younger brother — 
hungry like himself — it was not at all unnatural that his soul 
was torn by conflicting emotions. But during the night of 
September 25th, when three messengers left the town, they 
carried the pigeons with them. 

" The trip was successful, although it was rendered more 
difficult by the increased obstacles. With great dexterity 
these cunning, stooping, and, withal, noble-hearted fellows, 
stole through the Spanish lines, and, with their precious 
freight, safely reached the fleet on the Noord Aa, 

'• To his great disappointment Boisot had, since the twenty- 
third, been unable to make any headway. Little more than 
four miles distant lay the starving city, where the devoted 
burghers were fighting a battle fiercer than was ever waged 
with steel ; from morning till night of each day it lasted, 
and did not abate even at night. But the wind blew from 
the northeast, and the waters receded from the land that 
ought to have been covered high with the waves, as a path- 
way for the fleet. They scarcely rose one foot high, and 
the ships demanded a depth of about two feet to reach the 
dyke, — the Church road — stretching out in front of them, and 
that had to be cut like the Green road and the Front road. 
It is true that two wide canals — the Zuidbuurt drain and the 
Weypoort Vliet — connected the little lake with Leyden. But 
near the first-named canal strongly-fortified Zoeterwoude 
was situated, the second canal, near its outlet into the Rhine, 
being dominated by the castle of Swieten. And although 
they might succeed in fighting their way through, there was 
still the strongly-fortified and occupied Leyderdorp, and 



The Relief of Leyden. 287 

this constituted an insurmountable barrier, even without the 
five large galleys and other craft that Valdez had stationed 
there but had been unable to find crews for. 

" Perhaps — they hoped — a deep ditch less known was 
somewhere near. Every day, amid wind and rain, they 
visited the watercourses near by, with small, armed vessels, 
to explore the country, plying the sounding rod in every un- 
known stream that they discovered. But this had no result 
other than to attract to those waterways detachments of 
Spanish troops, sometimes from the direction of Swieten, at 
other times from Zoeterwoude, who, often wading knee deep 
in the water, attacked the boats, and thus gave rise to divert- 
ing but usually bloodless skirmishes. 

" Every day the galleys hurled from two hundred to three 
hundred balls against the densely-garrisoned Spanish posi- 
tions on the dyke near Zoeterwoude. This caused damage 
enough to the enemy to induce him, for a more effective de- 
fense, to station a few field-pieces there. But the enemy's 
fire did little execution : not more than three or four 
sailors had been killed by it. For the rest, although the 
flags and streamers trembled in the wind, the sails had 
been furled, because they were useless, and the ships were 
swinging and rocking upon the tempestuous waves without 
being able to proceed. All hopes were prayerfully centered 
upon the 29th day of September, when there was to be a 
spring tide. 

" If the Lord would only favor them then ! 

*' This was the situation of the fleet when the messengers 
with their pigeons were conducted to the admiral's galley, 
where they were cordially welcomed by him. But the closer 
he questioned them, and the more they told him, the darker 
became his countenance. He was truly prepared to learn 



288 The Sea Beggars. 

of great distress, yet he trembled at the suffering depicted 
by the simple narrative of those wasted messengers. 

" Bleak starvation was flapping its pale, bare wings over 
all the town, and its poisonous breath wrought sickness and 
death. A sack of wheat had been paid for with a hundred 
guilders ; a pound of butter commanded fifteen stivers, an 
egg now cost two stivers, an apple or a pear one and a half 
stivers, a cabbage-stalk half a stiver. Several people had not 
tasted bread for seven weeks, nor drunk anything but water. 
Horsemeat was a delicacy of the rich. Gentlewomen had 
their pet dogs killed, and ate the flesh. The freebooters that 
were fortunate enough to kill a dog or a cat, had a banquet 
at the gate where they mounted guard, — they then could 
enjoy a bit of roast meat ! A soup of chopped skin, boiled 
with carrots in water and milk, was deemed a dainty bit by 
lovers of good things. Whoever had a pear tree in his gar- 
den, could boast of another luxury ; for the ingenuity of want 
taught them how to prepare ' several dishes ' from its leaves. 
Acorns — probably stored away for the pigs — took the place 
of chestnuts. Fortunate was the family whose house and 
walls were covered with vines. The leaves, stewed in 
starch, and with a little salt, provided a pottage that at least 
satisfied the sharpest pangs of hunger. If it were impos- 
sible to procure leaves of any kind for vegetables, then 
grass was gathered. Chopped fine and mixed with horse- 
grease and salt, it looked, when simmering in the pan, palata- 
ble enough to hungry eyes. 

" Beer, prepared of husks of oats, was yet brewed in 
sufficient quantities to be sold at no more than * one penny 
a stein.' Whoever could not spare his penny for this pur- 
pose, had, in the depth of his distress, recourse to draff, and 
brewed his own beer, using wormwood and garden rue, in- 
stead of hops. In the absence of all this they mixed their 



The Relief of Leyden. 289 

drinking water — never very agreeable at Leyden — with 
vinegar, as long as their supply held out. 

'' Sad scenes were depicted in the narrative. Women 
confined in child-birth had to be satisfied with a quarter of 
a biscuit for a whole day. The mother-milk left the parched 
breast ; little children were fed with the bowels of horses, 
and the larger ones crowded one another at the distribution 
of meat, watching with feverish eyes if a small piece were 
dropped by accident ; it was then swallowed raw. 

" The eyes of the poor scanned closely the road. And 
if perchance the skin of a salted plaice or a rejected cab- 
bage-leaf were discovered in the street, the fingers grasp- 
ingly stretched out for it, and it was often hungrily devoured 
without taking the trouble to clean it. Poor women, faint 
with hunger, covered their faces for shame and went out to 
hunt and dig for bones, which, when found, were taken 
home, to be once more boiled for themselves and those de- 
pending upon them. Carrion became food ; blood of the 
slaughtered cattle, clotted in the gutter, served to still the 
pangs of hunger. 

" As was natural, the mortality increased day by day. 
Sometimes at the dusk of evening a piercing cry of despair, 
a sobbing lament, suddenly issued from a house. In the 
morning the husband had tottered to his post, and in the 
evening had dragged himself home, only to find in the dark- 
ened rooms the corpses of wife and child, who had died of 
starvation or had succumbed to the pest. 

" Grief and despair broke the heart of many a bereaved 
husband and father : Within a few successive days he had 
buried most of his family, who, but a short while before, had 
been full of health and happiness. The number of burials 
increased frightfully every day. 

" And death did not even confine itself to the houses. 
19 



290 The Sea Beggars. 

It began also to cut down its victims in the streets. 
Not only children were found whose bluish, emaciated fea- 
tures showed that they had died of starvation, but men suc- 
cumbed at their posts ; and from among the living, while con- 
ducting a corpse to its last restingplace, one would some- 
times collapse — and the pall with which the dead had been 
covered, would soon conceal another corpse. 

" Upon hearing of so terrible a misery the admiral's heart 
sank within him, and fear shook his brave soul. He felt the 
need of addressing the man to whom every eye was directed 
when distress was pressing or affairs went wrong. He 
wrote to the prince : ' If, with this spring tide, the Lord 
should fail to favor them with the wind, or to grant them 
means that he could not yet discern, he doubted whether, 
for the present, it would be possible to provide the city with 
food ; he feared they would be too late. For in the city 
they had only just enough cattle now to make two distribu- 
tions of meat, which would be barely sufficient to enable 
them to hold out a week longer. He had been informed by 
the messengers that the misery, the mortality, the sickness, 
and the discord in the city were already alarmingly prev- 
alent' 

VI. 

" On Monday the 27th of September, from the admiral's 
galley, soared skyward the pigeon, now to accomplish that 
which the messengers had failed to do the night before, 
namely, convey letters into Leyden. 

" On the same day another letter was in preparation, also 
concerning the bold stand taken in defending Holland's 
popular rights. Don Luis De Requesens wrote from Ant- 
werp to his sovereign, and requested his pleasure concerning 



The Relief of Leyden. 291 

a scheme, broached by Valdez, to follow the example set by 
the Hollanders, but for their own destruction, and also to 
cut the dykes. Something was yet to be added. Consider- 
ing the stubbornness of the rebels, and the heavy expenses 
of this war, he thought it would not be a bad plan to drown 
the lower villages, burn the higher ones, and, meantime, to 
become master at sea. 

" Neither Valdez, nor Requesens, nor Philip — in this 
connection a peculiar kind of trinity — understood that a 
similar measure, however alluringly radical, would be of 
little avail so long as leaders like the prince, and cities like 
Leyden, were to be met with in Holland. 

" True, the city was negotiating, and refugee farmers 
yet maintained that the prince had died on September 7th. 
But the people of Antwerp refused absolutely to believe this 
statement, and Requesens himself sagely judged that the 
insolent perseverance of the rebels proved the contrary. 
He might have found in it a solution of that which, a few 
days later, he was pleased to call a peculiar phenomenon 
with the people of Leyden. He then wrote to his master, 
who was justly wrought up about the siege : ' Si fuera del 
Turco el exercito que esta sobre ellos, se huvieran rendido 
muchos dias ha.' (If Turks were besieging them they would 
long since have surrendered.) 

" Meanwhile, Leyden, distressed and uneasy, pinched and 
sorely pressed, was anxiously awaiting the reply of the 
relief-force. On the 27th of September twenty-four head 
of cattle and twenty-seven horses had been killed, but on the 
following day it was published : ' that the present distribution 
of two pounds of meat per head need to last only three days, 
instead of four, as was heretofore the case, and that, at the 
expiration of the said three days, one pound per head per 
day will be distributed, and all this for the purpose that the 



292 The Sea Beggars. 

faithful burghers of this city may feel the better satisfied, 
and be the more content in their distress.' 

" On the evening of the next day the first pigeon returned 
to its cote, and Willem Cornelissen, who, with a wakeful eye, 
had watched his dove-house, immediately took the letter to 
the magistrates. The following day another of the winged 
'^■' messengers returned, and immediately the city-hall bell called 
the people together to listen to the good news that had just 
been received. 

" With great expectation, the gaze of every one among the 
pale, emaciated multitude was riveted upon the wdndow 
where public announcements were always made. At last it 
was opened. The crowd hustled each other in their eager- 
ness to hear. And then they listened to the following : 

" ' My lords, the commissaries and the magistrates of this 
city, for the purpose of having surer means of receiving news 
from our friends concerning our relief, furnished the messen- 
gers who lately left the city with several pigeons, with the 
object of making use of them for the said purpose. Besides 
the one that returned yesterday, another has also come 
back, carrying with it letters from Admiral Boysot, written 
to-day, and stating that his excellence [the prince], for the 
purpose of being the better able to direct the efforts for our 
relief, also to demonstrate actively the love he entertains for 
us, and his desire to contribute to our relief, has, on yester- 
day, personally joined the fleet. He cordially greets us, 
entreating us to keep up our courage, not doubting but that, 
with the help of God, we shall be saved from our present 
misery and affliction. For which purpose the aforesaid com- 
missaries and magistrates exhort each and every one (aban- 
doning a previously sinful and godless life), to approach 
God, and without any presumption of merits, to pray ardently 
that His Divine Majesty be pleased to look down upon us 



The Relief of Leyden. 293 

with eyes of commiseration, and to deliver us from the 
present siege and wretchedness, for His glory, the exaltation 
of His name, and the salvation of us all. And whereas the 
aforesaid commissaries and magistrates have been informed 
that some burghers and inhabitants of this city, and also 
soldiers or freebooters, have been in the habit of shooting at 
pigeons, on account of which some of the letter-carriers or 
messengers might be shot, and on account of which the let- 
ters might not reach us, which would be detrimental and 
conducive to great evil, yea, to the absolute ruin of this city : 
therefore the above commissaries and magistrates have for- 
bidden and are forbidding by the present every one — none 
excepted — to shoot at any pigeons, under penalty of being, 
without mercy, hung to a rope, after having received cor- 
poral chastisement. 

" ' Let every one spread the contents of this publication.' 

" The prince is on the fleet ! If any part of the publica- 
tion was generally circulated it was this. For, if human hand 
were able to push the means of relief, it was certainly his 1 

" An equal confidence had manifested itself among the 
crews. The forced inactivity, amidst rain and wind, had 
caused the warlike Zeelanders — crowded in their vessels, 
mostly open, and, in their impetuous zeal, not taking into 
account the circumstances — to grumble and find fault 
with everything. Every man among them was ready to 
drive away whatever enemy was before Leyden, and to 
carry bread to the starving within those walls. Why then 
did the commanders linger ? They must find the means to 
surmount the obstacles : for this they were the chiefs, to 
whom the leadership had been entrusted ! 

" And those chiefs themselves had no more ardent desire, 
no more passionate wish, than to proceed immediately with 
the expedition — if it were only possible ! 



294 The Sea Beggars. 

" Among these warring opinions one conviction was 
shared by all — ' If the prince would only arrive ! ' 

" Boisot's letter to him could have but one result, — and 
that was most urgently to press the prince to visit the fleet, 
but the state of his health forced him to be very careful, and 
the weather was rough. 

'* On September 28th, the yellow rays of the autumn sun 
again unexpectedly brightened the aspect of Delft's streets, 
and then the man of self-sacrifice, though far from having 
attained his former vigor, hesitated no longer. He em- 
barked for the fleet. 

" And now the rejoicing was general. The guns roared 
their salutes ; trumpets sounded the * Wilhelmus ' as a wel- 
come — but louder than all resounded the cheers of the crews 
as William appeared before them : he was the man that 
doubtless would put a stop to their unbearable state of 
inactivity ! 

" The prince examined everything thoroughly, conversed 
with officers and privates, had words of encouragement for 
every one, and expressed his great satisfaction at the disci- 
pline prevalent on the fleet. He deemed it necessary to 
reconnoitre more closely the enemy's fortifications and the 
conditions of the roads. For this purpose some officers 
were easily found. Captain Oultran went in one direction. 
Vice-admiral Claessen and De Moor took the other. When — 
upon their return — they had submitted their report, the 
prince conferred with the chiefs and nobles about the best 
and least risky means of cutting the dyke, called the Stomp- 
wyk road. The undertaking was hazardous ; for the road 
was strongly occupied. Yet the intent was discussed, con- 
sidered, and resolved upon. With two galleys, three smaller 
vessels, two hundred arquebusiers, besides a sufficient num- 
ber of pioneers, provided with gabions and other neces- 



The Relief of Leyden. 295 

saries, Boisot was to undertake the effort at night time, and 
to try safely to intrench himself there before break of day. 
Should the unfavorable wind continue, and the shallow 
water render it impossible to sail through, a serious effort 
was to be made during the darkness of night to smuggle 
thirty or forty supply ships into the cit}\ For this most 
diflScult task, — deemed impossible by many, — the gallant 
Captain Grenu had volunteered. 

" After these and other preparations, — among them, pro- 
viding themselves with caltrops to distribute on the roads 
where the enemy was most numerous, — the prince returned 
to Delft amid the loud cheers of the entire fleet, whose 
courage and confidence had again been strengthened and 
who had received new life through his inspiring presence. 

" At nightfall the expedition to the Stompwyk road began 
in the order suggested. But they could not reach their 
goal : in vain they explored ditches and canals ; the looked- 
for passage was not found, and toward morning the ships 
returned to their anchorage in the Noord Aa. 

" But it was impossible to remain inactive any longer. 
Those steeples, appearing on the northern horizon, seemed 
like so many signals of distress praying for help. Where a 
spire was visible, it conveyed the thought of misery, which 
had found an abode below it, of the terrible suffering en- 
dured there, — and, therefore, the possibility of surrender as 
the fearful reward of so great a sacrifice. 

" Advance they must — but how ? 

" Again they held a council of war. Between Zoeter- 
woude and the castle of Swieten lay a road ; back of it, it 
was said, there streamed a deeper water, and where the 
passage to the city would not encounter a single obstruction. 
But the road and the canal running parallel were strongly 
guarded by boats on the water and by soldiers on the land ; 



296 The Sea Beggars. 

nor was there any lack of heavy artillery ! It was to be 
feared that among the soldiers and the pioneers, not to men- 
tion the sailors, heavy losses would be experienced, because 
the fire of the galleys, at the landing of the expedition, could 
not be made very effective. Besides, a canal would have to 
be dug first to gain an entrance. 

" But those steeples over yonder were signals of distress I 
Resistance was likely to come to an end at any time ! If 
after waiting for more water the expedition should at last 
reach the walls and behold the Spanish banners floating 
from their towers ! . . . 

" To work, then : nothing shall be left undone ! 

" And, meanwhile, the sky has become overcast. The 
lovely rays of the autumnal sun, which spread so joyful a 
light over the fleet at the time of the prince's arrival, have 
disappeared. The sheet of water, so quiet and blue yester- 
day, has become turbulent to-day, and assumes a grayish 
hue beneath the moving skies, where black clouds gather 
and drift. The wind, having shifted to the northwest, in- 
creases, gains in strength and velocity, and pushes the waves 
of the North Sea up against the outflowing waters of the 
River Maas. Increased in volume and force by the spring 
tide, the waves now hurl themselves with redoubled fury 
through the open sluices and cuts in the dikes. Like a 
foaming avalanche of waters, they penetrate into the polders 
below. 

VII. 

" Yet Leyden still persisted, notwithstanding its pinching 
misery ; notwithstanding the treason that informed the 
enemy that the guard near the Hoogewoerd gate was almost 
abandoned. The Spanish had actually tried to surprise the 
post in the dead of night ; but when a few musket-shots from 



The Relief of Leyden. 297 

the wall showed them that the traitor seemed to have misin- 
formed them, they hastily retreated imder cover of darkness. 

" The sadness of the people in the city, however, again 
was somewhat alleviated ; dejection made way for encourage- 
ment, through powerful voices whose strong echoes reverber- 
ated in the air from the distant south. Early in the evening 
of Wednesday the 29th September, the report of the firing of 
heavy pieces became distinctly audible in the city, and the 
sound of this rolling thunder proceeded from the direction 
of Zoeterwoude. Darkness fell, and the sorrowful appear- 
ance of the streets was, for the great part, lost in the 
blackness of night ; but even long after midnight a brilliant 
ray of hope illumined many a dejected heart. About one 
o'clock the sound of an alarm-bell suddenly disturbed the 
temporary quiet, and it proceeded so plainly from the direc- 
tion of Zoeterwoude, that no more doubt existed that the 
relief-force had advanced to that point, and that the enemy 
was calling together his regiments to resist the onward course. 

'' In a different mood from even the last time, on the fol- 
lowing morning they again killed a number of animals. 
Fifty-two head of cattle, besides twenty-seven horses, were 
slaughtered, and, according to the number of inhabitants, 
their meat and skins were distributed by the pound. 

" The following day — October first — nevertheless, was 
Leyden's Good Friday. Just three weeks before, the fleet 
had begun its weary task of traversing the short distance 
between Rotterdam and Leyden. And, notwithstanding the 
blessed assistance of the spring tide, there had never yet 
been enough water to sail on. And now — whoever looks up 
to the weather cocks and the vanes, floating on the wind, per- 
ceives that from the southwest a strong breath of wind is 
blowing, which is bound to force the voluminous water into 
the plains of Leyden. 



298 The Sea Beggars. 

"'Nine inches at the highest,' had been the complaint 
of the sounders on the fleet. ' Twenty-eight inches ! More 
than two feet ! ' they now shouted in the swinging boat. 

" All were now full of a hopeful courage. Eyes flashed, 
cheeks glowed, hands trembled in their eagerness to go to 
work. 

" The admiral signaled the captains and officers to his 
ship. Here they discussed, weighed, and resolved upon the 
course to be followed. Considering the steadily increasing 
flood, — continuously streaming with foaming crests toward the 
Church road, — it was resolved to set course for said point 
about the hour of midnight. The little boats of the Spanish 
guards, stationed there, rose higher and higher, and the 
summit of the dyke was covered in spots with the foam of 
the ever-increasing waters. 

" Everything was made ready, and, in the meantime, 
Boisot wrote to the people of Leyden, ' that on Friday 
night, from the city, the trenches of Lammen were to be 
attacked with prames and ships.' The fleet ' would attack 
the same from the opposite direction with so great violence 
that they doubted not but what, with the Lord's help 
they would gain and conquer the same.' A little later the 
winged messenger, with the letter fastened about its neck, 
ascended from the flagship, and soon disappeared in the 
direction of Leyden. 

" In this manner the admiral had most effectively encour- 
aged the besieged, and at the same time assured himself of 
their cooperation. 

" While the pigeon was now speeding on her errand, the 
preparations on the fleet were vigorously completed. The 
food supplies, loaded in about a hundred vessels, were pro- 
visionally to be left behind on the little lake, guarded 
by eight or ten galleys, under the command of Asseliers, 



The Relief of Leyden. 299 

with three companies of soldiers, besides the heavy ord- 
nance. 

" About eleven o'clock the roar of artillery resounded 

over the waves of the Noord Aa in a westerly direction, 
and, raising a false alarm, it lured the Spaniards to the 
Stompwyk road. Meanwhile, the majority of the armed 
vessels began to move and to hoist sail, for the purpose of 
attacking the Church road. 

" Like a gigantic stormbird, with outspread wings, the 
fleet cut through the waters, under cover of the darkness of 
a cloudy sky. The body was formed by twenty ships, com- 
manded by La Garde, and manned by the necessary crews, 
having on board two hundred pioneers, well-provided with 
gabions, faggots, sods, and what was further needed in their 
work. The right wing, extending in the direction of Swieten, 
was commanded by Claesen. The left wing, about a musket- 
shot distant from the right, was led by the admiral himself. 
From this side toward the northern horizon a number of 
lights, glimmering in the darkness, rendered visible the situa- 
tion of strongly-fortified Zoeterwoude. 

" The sails rattled, the oars splashed in the waves, but the 
wind, also, was blowing from the densely-packed clouds, and 
this was the reason why the Spanish guards, more than forty 
strong, stationed in boats in front of the Church road, did 
not immediately perceive their assailants. Soon, however, 
at a somewhat wide distance, their * Who there ! Who there ! ' 
could be heard .... but only within musket-shot range of 
the position did Boisot's heavy artillery and small fire thunder 
the answer to the challenges ; while the loud and prolonged 
cheers of the Zeelanders informed the enemy that they and 
their admiral had arrived at last. 

" Without any definite aim, the guards now discharged 
their arquebuses, and, thereupon, quickly sought a safe 



300 The Sea Beggars. 

refuge on the shore, whence they spread the alarm far and 
near. La Garde, as bold as he was impetuous, having been 
conducted in a little two-oared boat to the front, did not 
permit one moment to be lost. He was the first to set foot 
upon the Church road, immediately followed by many others. 
Meantime, the pioneers had, as expeditiously, taken their 
gabions and other necessaries on the dyke. 

" If the moon — now almost full — had at times been able 
to peep through the quickly-moving clouds, she would have 
seen, about midnight, a busy scene of great activity on the 
marshy dyke, which, in some spots, was already covered 
with a foot and a half of water. The Spaniards had begun 
to erect here a continuous obstruction of beams and cross- 
beams, which now had to be partly removed. Other 
pioneers, again, worked hard with shovel and spade, to 
throw up intrenchments speedily on two sides. Boisot him- 
self left his galley and came on shore for the purpose of 
speeding on the work. 

" Meanwhile, at Swieten and at Zoeterwoude every one 
had become active, and from both localities the enemy has- 
tened to the attack. Both of the enemy's divisions received 
such a warm reception from the arquebusiers, — commanded 
by the gallant French officers, — actively assisted by the fire 
of the fleet — that soon his lighted fuses, like a swarm of fire- 
flies, disappeared in the darkness of the stormy night. The 
French pursued the fugitives some little distance, and, upon 
their return, dropped their caltrops on the pathway they had 
just succeeded in clearing, — for the present, at least. The 
cannon of the fleet roared throughout the night, and wher- 
ever a gleam of light or a spark of fire bespoke the possible 
presence of Spaniards, thither showers of balls and bullets 
found their way ; yet only once in a great while, and then but 
very feebly, was the firing replied to by the enemy 



The Relief of Leyden. 301 

" The intrenchments on both sides of the selected spot 
were now speedily completed. The cutting of three wide 
gaps in the dyke between the intrenchments did not require 
any great effort ; for the laborers already stood nearly knee- 
deep in the water so that their digging of an additional foot 
of depth would provide a pathway for all the ships com- 
prising the fleet. And at the break of day the waters, 
rushing from a southwesterly direction, coursed with a 
powerful current through the wide gap in the dyke, and the 
duckweed of the ditches soon was floating like green and 
brown fleece over the fields of the Westbrook polder, now 
fast disappearing below the waves. 

" The lights that had been lighted in the houses at 
Zoeterwoude during the alarm, had now been extinguished. 
A man had departed from there in a dejected and disheart- 
ened mood, as witnessed by the farmer that had been forced to 
extend hospitality to him. This man was Don Francisco De 
Valdez, who, perceiving that his reign before Leyden was 
approaching its close, had, with a sorrowing heart, sought 
refuge at Leyderdorp, thence to issue orders for the absolute 
withdrawal of his Majesty's forces. 

" Boisot, even then, had already despatched some galleys 
to the Noord Aa, for the purpose of leading the supply ships, 
which had been left behind. Asseliers immediately ordered 
them to hoist sail, while he himself, with the warships, re- 
mained at his post. The supply ships succeeded in reach- 
ing the appointed place, after the insignificant loss of half a 
dozen men and two barges, which had strayed from the 
main body in the direction of Zoeterwoude, and, with great 
show of daring, had been surprised by the Spaniards. 
After the arrival of the supply ships, the morning of October 
2d was lighting up the waters of the inundated fields, when 



302 The Sea Beggars. 

the fleet, with sails unfurled and busy oars a-splashing, now 
moved into the submerged Westbrook polder. 

" Soon the Church road — the last obstruction in the 
advance, according to persons familiar with the locality — 
had been passed, and every one's spirit was heightened by 
the happy prospect of assured relief to starving Leyden. 
The Kennemer freebooters even deemed further assistance 
on their part unnecessary. Cleynsorgh and his band re- 
turned and went to spread the happy news in the Northern 
Quarter ' that he has assisted in carrying some intrench- 
ments before Leyden, and that a very large relief-force is 
assembled there.' 

VIII. 

" And from the walls of starving Leyden, that stormy 
morning, anxious multitudes were scanning the southern 
horizon, still shivering and trembling with an ever-recurring 
fear, but yet, however weak and miserable they might feel, 
no longer filled with despair. True, over yonder, near 
the Zylbridge and farther down the road to Leyderdorp, the 
enemy was busily engaged in digging and conveying hay and 
gabions. In the neighborhood of the intrenchments at Lam- 
men, a similar labor was being performed. But even so, the 
rolling peals of the thunder of war had not subsided during 
the night. Flames had been seen leaping up at Zoeterwoude 
— and the columns of smoke were yet ascending — a positive 
sign that the Spanish fortifications surrounding the church 
were on fire. And now there became visible a swarm of sails 
from a direction pointing toward the Meerburg watercourse. 
Thus far, already, the relief expedition had fought its way 
through ! 

" Joy began to reign upon the walls, and to spread through- 
out the city. It was impossible to keep back any longer the 



The Relief of Leyden. 303 

boys and the women, who crept up against the slopes to 
assure themselves, by looking over the breastworks, of the 
truth of the happy news ! Oh, to gain strength from a look 
at those sails, through which the wind was blowing bread to 
the city ! 

" Even now the hour of triumph had already come for 
those steadfast patriots, whose stubborn courage had forced 
the defense ! Not only for a Van de Werff, a Jacob and 
Johan Van der Does, a Jan Van Hout, but also for more 
obscure burghers like one Willem Aelbrechts Berkhey, who, 
having caught a small fish from the moat had, from his post 
on the wall, shown it to the enemy, spread upon a piece of 
bread, as if there yet reigned abundance in the city. Also 
for many others who, at the top of their voices, called to the 
mocking enemy that, if their distress became unbearable, 
they would rather set fire to the city than again become 
slaves of Spain, and suffer violence to body and conscience ! 

" And now the city-hall bell sounded. The pigeon, freed 
by Boisot on Friday, but probably frightened by the firing, 
and having lost its bearings, had returned to-day to its nest, 
and faithful Cornelissen had made haste to put the author- 
ities in possession of the important news. 

" On account hereof a decree from the city hall, ordering 
* all women, young boys, and other persons not able to carry 
arms to quit the walls,' and, further, that * no men were to 
appear at the walls without being properly armed.' The 
same decree also contained the command that those that had 
been on guard during the night before should immediately 
report again for duty, and that every burgher, as soon as the 
alarm bell should be rung, should proceed to his rendez- 
vous, properly armed, and under no pretext whatever was he 
to leave it. At the same time, preparations were made for 
necessary room in the city-moats for the supply ships, and 



304 The Sea Beggars. 

it was consequently decreed ' to remove immediately all ships, 
lighters, or barges lying in the Vliet, from the Vlietgat to the 
Jeroensbridge, or in the Rhine between the Watergat from 
the Hoochwoertsgate and the Gansoortsbridge,' under pen- 
alty of having them confiscated should they be found there 
even but one hour after the publication of the decree. 

" As fast as their emaciated frames would permit, the men 
went to work. The pale cheeks again became suffused with 
color, and sunken eyes once more brightened ; for, like an 
electric spark of encouragement, the news had strengthened 
their souls. The thunder of the prince's cannon was also 
fast coming nearer, and in the afternoon ' a formidable body ' 
of Spanish troops was seen hastening along the Zoeterwoude 
road, and throwing themselves into the ruins of the castle 
of Cronesteyn on the Roomburg watercourse, not far from 
Lammen. With every moment, the sails of the approaching 
fleet now became more distinct from behind the dark clouds 
of powder-smoke that preceded them. 

" The redoubt at Lammen also began to belch forth its fire, 
as if Captain Borgia, who occupied this stronghold with three 
hundred men, wanted to demonstrate sharply the fact that 
Leyden had not yet been relieved. The besieged, however, 
as if signaling the admiral a reply to his letter, carried flags 
upon the wall — yea, full of joy they clambered up against 
the laths of the mill-arms, and fastened their bunting to 
the highest point, that it might be distinctly seen on the 
fleet. 

" The latter, notwithstanding the encountering of many 
difficulties, had reached its present position. Boisot, im- 
pelled by his earnest conviction of the necessity for haste, 
had entered the Westbrook polder much too early. But he 
soon discovered his mistake in expecting that the polder 
would contain at least three feet of water for his ships to 



The Relief of Leyden. 305 

sail in. Before long the crews of the galleys, as the largest 
vessels, experienced all the difficulties of shallow water, and 
stuck fast here and there. The advance seemed, at first, 
not only to be threatened with delay, but with suspension, 
notwithstanding the favorable wind blowing across the sur- 
face of the water and into the sails. But the Zeeland sailors, 
no less than their leaders, burned with impatience to relieve 
the city, and to inflict upon the Spaniards the disgrace of an 
absolute retreat ; they could no longer bear the idea of delay. 
Without taking anything into consideration, they jumped into 
the turbid waters, and with their brawny hands took hold of the 
galling, jolting vessels to force them across the shallows. 
They tugged and pulled, and dragged and pushed, counting 
neither sweat nor fatigue. And when a galley remained 
immovable they put their broad shoulders beneath the keel, 
and, plunging through the water, panting with their strenuous 
toil and vigorous exertion, they succeeded in moving all the 
galleys across the shallows, even that of the admiral. 

" In little more than an hour all the obstacles had been 
surmounted, and the entire fleet subsequently united in the 
deep kil of the Meerburg watercourse, hardly a mile distant 
from Leyden. 

" There the city lay. They could see the walls extend 
from east to west. The heavy masonry of the two cathe- 
drals rose high above everything ; the church steeples were 
easily discernible : to the right, the steeple of St. Pan eras, 
to the left the Saint Peter. The windmills on the walls were 
also plainly visible — but it was seen, at the same time, that, 
notwithstanding the strong breeze, they did not work. 

" Ponderous brushes which, with one single stroke, pic- 
tured a scene of horrible woe ! 

" On ! On ! ... if only it be not too late ! 

" Strongly-fortified Zoeterwoude now lay powerless in the 
20 



3o6 The Sea Beggars. 

rear. On account hereof strongly-fortified Leyderdorp had 
become useless to the enemy. It would be very difficult — 
yea, actually impossible, if the Spaniards were to make a 
sudden attack in force — in this watercourse to protect the 
ships, scattered confusedly in the canal. But from this 
emergency an immediate relief was found. A little toward 
the southwest, a broad plash, the Papenmeir, extended where 
it would be easy to insure safety by restoring order. Thither 
they now steered ; and, while proceeding on their way, they 
fired a few houses, the flames of which, leaping high into the 
air, informed the enemy of the steadily-onward course of the 
redoubtable Beggars — and spread consternation among the 
ranks of the Spaniards. La Garde, leading the van in a 
little boat, saw them jump out on every side of the sev- 
eral vessels, stationed there to contest the advance of the 
prince's forces. It was often laughable to see how the sol- 
diers, in considerable numbers, were stumbling through the 
marshy fens, and were caught and captured by two or three 
unarmed sailors, who were following in little skiffs. 

" At Zoeterwoude, the Spaniards were far from feeling at 
ease. The village was connected with Lammen by a road 
— the Women's road — with a bridge across the Meerburg 
watercourse, near where it empties into the Papenmeir. A 
number of Spanish officers, entirely enveloped by their great- 
coats, on account of the rough wind, had taken up a posi- 
tion, with two large vessels, near the Women's bridge. On 
board the fleet it was, at first, impossible to decide whether 
the Spaniards were there for reconnoitering purposes or 
with a force large enough to contest the progress. This 
uncertainty, however, did not last long. La Garde did not 
delay the advance, and when the Spanish lords saw those 
Beggar oars thus boldly moving in their direction, they 
quickly made for the shore and took the road to Voorscho- 



The Relief of Leyden. 307 

ten, while some of their soldiers that were near by hurriedly 
followed the example of their officers. 

" They soon had reasons to feel sorry for having stayed 
too long ! 

" The impetuous La Garde now regretted not having pro- 
vided himself with a larger vessel and a dozen arquebusiers ; 
and immediately informed the admiral of what was happen- 
ing at the Women's bridge. Boisot immediately arrived 
with some of his armed vessels ; and he did not come 
too late. The road taken by the fugitives was on the same 
level with the drowned lands. They floundered through 
mire and mud, and, notwithstanding the fact that the morn- 
ing sun provided them with sufficient light, they did not 
make much headway on their slippery path. For the sake 
of facilitating the passage of the ships, Boisot immediately 
destroyed the bridge, whereupon a few of the galleys sailed 
after the fleeing enemy, opening fire on them with cannon 
and musketry. 

" A bloody chase soon followed. The entire garrison of 
Zoeterwoude, under Colonel Alonzo Lopez Gallo, had re- 
treated. From the movement of the fleet in the direction of 
the Papenmeir, they feared that the Beggars were bent upon 
surrounding them in the midst of the rising waters, that ' sea, 
their most cruel enemy, who fought for the rebels.' From 
Zoeterwoude there lay a road — the Hofroad — to Voorschoten, 
but also with a bridge — the Hofbridge — across the water- 
course, in the immediate vicinity of the Papenmeir. Along 
this path the dense columns of the hastily-retreating garrison 
sought to escape, when the galleys rushed into the wide 
plash, and mixed the smoke of their artillery with the white 
foam flying high in front of their bows. At first a battle 
seemed imminent. One of Captain Borgia's sergeants, Pierre 
Chacon, took up a position with his soldiers near the bridge, 



3o8 The Sea Beggars. 

and gallantly opened fire on his assailants. But it did not 
last long. A fearful confusion ensued among the fleeing 
ranks, where every man struggled to get ahead of the rest, 
and escape the deadly fire of the Beggars. Whoever slipped 
and fell need not hope to rise again. No one cared about 
another ; every one thought only of his own safety. Num- 
bers of soldiers left the road, and sought safety on the sub- 
merged lands on the opposite side. But this only made 
matters worse for them. The sailors, in the small boats, had, 
in an incredibly short time, passed below the bridge, and 
entered upon the drowned lands. With hooks and harpoons 
the merciless Zeelanders attacked the fugitives, dragged 
them into the boats, and killed them. Some of the Beggars, 
soldiers as well as sailors, jumped overboard, pursued the 
enemy through the dashing waves, and killed them with dirk 
or knife. The shouts and cries, mingled with the cracking 
of the arquebuses and the roar of the cannon, served only to 
excite the pursuers to greater activity. 

" In wild confusion the fugitives struggled through the 
water, which was rising above their knees, and many a one 
among them unexpectedly waded into a deep ditch and was 
drowned. The bold Chacon escaped death in an almost 
miraculous manner. Dragged by four hooks into a boat, 
and thought to be dead, he suddenly rose up, while the Beg- 
gars were harpooning for others, attacked his enemies with 
the halberd that had never left his hand, and killed three of 
them. The rest, in a panic of fright, jumped overboard, 
and Chacon triumphantly conducted the grain-laden boat to 
the Hague. 

" It was reckoned that about eighty Spaniards had been 
killed. The remainder were so fortunate as to reach the 
sconce that had been thrown up at the northern extremity 
of the road on the Vliet, near the farm of one Jaep Claesen. 



The Relief of Leyden. 309 

Two or three pieces of artillery still made some noise from 
there, causing much smoke, but doing no damage. 

" In the meanwhile, a portion of the fugitives from the 
Hofbridge had made a detour around Zoeterw'oude, and, 
dragging some cannon behind them, had sought refuge on 
the Stompwyk road. So long as they kept out of sight of 
Asseliers they remained safe ; but as soon as the latter 
perceived the bustle on the dyke, he opened such a destruc- 
tive fire against it from his heavy artillery, that the confusion 
became fully as great there as on the Hofroad. The ar- 
tillery was abandoned, and the small arms were thrown away 
by the fugitives, the better to use their feet. Hither and 
thither, if only out of range of the fire of the Beggars, the 
deplorable hirelings of the ' Divine Right ' were plunging 
across the marshy fields, cursing the day on which they had 
taken service under the Spanish banners to struggle in Hol- 
land's marshy polders against the elements. Here, also, 
many a ditch, after some days, gave up several dead bodies, 
whose uniforms showed them to have been Spanish soldiers. 

" Thus the Beggar victory was complete, and some cannon, 
besides vessels, laden with wine and provisions, were taken 
to the fleet as trophies. Boisot then ordered his entire fleet 
— the supply ships all pushing and crowding one another 
in the water-course — to unite in the roomy Papenmeir. 
The admiral had been encouraged and elated not only by 
the triumph of the prince's arms, but even more so by the 
flags he now saw signaling from the mills : ' Leyden still 
holds out ! ' 

" There now existed only one more impediment, — the re- 
doubt of Lammen, which the relief-force thought stronger 
than it really was. With its solid wall of palisades, in the 
five-feet wide and exceedingly-deep moat, its high ramparts, 
its many gabions for breastworks, between which the can- 



310 The Sea Beggars. 

nons' mouths were threatening, and which, to-day, by only 
two discharges, had killed seven men on the approaching 
fleet, — this stronghold caused much anxiety to the intrepid 
Beggars. They could attack it from one side only, that is, from 
the canal skirting the Women's road ; for the high ground 
here was not covered by even one foot of water. There- 
fore — possibly on account of anxious Leyden — ever since 
ten o'clock a perfectly useless fire had been directed against 
the fortress. In the meantime, the admiral * convoked 
a council of war, after having dispatched a vessel to the 
Noord Aa, to summon Asseliers to join the fleet. His of- 
ficers agreed with him that, in the present condition of affairs, 
an attack upon the redoubt, however difficult, ought not to 
be delayed : Leyden's extremity and their own honor did 
not permit them to act otherwise. Toward evening, after 
some obstructing palisades had been removed, and the 
watercourse made easier of approach, the master of the 
ordnance, accompanied by captains Grenu and Henry, went 
on a scouting tour. They returned with the intelligence that, 
although ' with great danger and much difficulty,' it would 
yet be possible to station at the end of the canal a couple of 
great guns. Though fully aware of the difficulty of making 
a breach from a rocking vessel, and of the ease with which, 
even then, the enemy with only a little perseverance could 
beat back a small handful of stormers, yet Boisot resolved to 
undertake the almost-hopeless task early the following 
morning. 

" With this object in view, he gave orders, and then re- 
paired to his cabin to report to the prince, who, since the 
arrival of the fleet on the Noord Aa, had not been informed 
of the condition of affairs. He wrote ' that he intended, on 
the following day, to bombard Lammen, but in case he should 
not succeed, they must have patience until the water rose 



Tlie Relief of Leyden. 311 

higher, so as to be able to pass the redoubt across the flat 
country.' 

" Midnight was near when the messenger took ship for 
Delft with Boisot's dispatches. His trip was uneventful. 
The storm had subsided, and the wind was dying away. 
The night was calm and quiet. 

'' Yet it was destined to be a memorable one, in which 
great things were to happen. 

IX. 

" The dawn of day, on Sunday the 3rd of October, found 
every one active on the fleet, as well as in the city, both of 
which were filled with care and anxiety. Here, on the 
waters, they made ready for the attack ; there, within the 
walls, they were arming for a sortie. 

" An exchange of signals, however, could not take place, 
and on both sides action was delayed by the same unex- 
pected obstacle : a dense fog enveloped the fields, and veiled 
every object behind a whitish gray mist. 

" The people of Leyden, meanwhile, conceived the idea 
that this fog even might be rendered useful to them. After 
Van der Laen and his crews had manned the galleys, to be 
ready at any time to sally forth into the Vlietgat, the city 
carpenter, Gerrit Thomassen, and a few gallant men, — brave 
skeletons would be a more appropriate appellation, — had 
been secretly sent out under cover of the fog with a couple of 
railkboats into the Vliet, to remove the piles that the Span- 
iards had driven in. They had, besides, a fresh and a press- 
ing incentive to act. Dirck Ottens, the gate-keeper at the 
Cow gate, told every one willing to listen to him, that the 
night before he had been scared and startled on account of 
a terrible commotion : that a large part of the wall from his 
gatie to the Burgundian bastion had caved in. It was unnec- 



312 The Sea Beggars. 

essary for any of the guards to confirm this tale. Every one 
could, with his own eyes, convince himself of the fact that, 
if the Spaniard should storm, he would find a sixteen-feet- 
wide breach to assist him. 

" Meanwhile, the morning breeze began to disperse the 
clouds of mist. A little after six o'clock the sun had risen 
hardly above the horizon when its rays broke so brilliantly 
through the vanishing vapors that it seemed as if they knew 
that they were lighting up Leyden's Easter — the day of 
Leyden's resurrection. 

" And both the people of the city and the men of the 
fleet, with increased happiness, now began gradually to 
distinguish one another. 

" But the eyes of both, with equal astonishment and with 
the same distrust, were turned toward the only obstacle that 
yet separated them — the sconce at Lammen. 

" There it lay, lifeless. The flag had been hauled down ; 
no more cannons threatened between the several gabions ; 
no sparkling of the morning rays was visible on any musket, 
any pike-point, or helmet. The redoubt seemed asleep, like 
a deserted military camp in the midst of its wide moats. 

" But it was a ruse ? 

" So they thought on the fleet ; so they thought on the 
walls ; and on both sides they began to devise what new 
measures would have to be taken. 

" Then, on the wall, a twelve-year old boy, Cornelis Jop- 
pens, began to play a part. During the night he had been 
scanning the surrounding country from the breastworks, and 
had perceived that a swarm of sparks had left Lammen 
-without returning : they could only have been the fuses of 
the retreating soldiers. For two three-guilder pieces — thus 
spoke the little speculator — he was willing to undertake the 
hazardous visit to the mysterious walls of clay. 



The Relief of Leyden. 313 

" Agreed ! 

" He was ferried in a little boat across the moat. And 
thither, anxiously followed by every eye — by every heart — 
he went. He took the road along the Vliet, and at last dis- 
appeared behind the western bastion of the sconce. 

" And behold — a few minutes later his small body is vis- 
ible again on the northern wall, and he swings his hat, as if 
calling out, ' Hurrah, hurrah ! Leyden has been relieved ! ' 

" But that was impossible ! It was too good to be true ! 
The hidden Spaniards had forced him to give that incredible 
signal for the purpose of deceiving both the city and the fleet, 
and to entrap the latter first ! Could it be possible for God 
to work a miracle in behalf of the wretched people of 
Leyden ? 

" The last doubt was not even strong enough to maintain 
itself long. The freebooter Gysbrecht Cornelissen Schaeck, 
and two or three more of Van der Laen's men, having no 
patience to wait for further developments, shouldered their 
arms, and speedily followed the boy. One of them, seeing 
two of the galleys belonging to the fleet so near, waded 
toward them, past the sconce, up to his knees in the water. 
The remaining freebooters, on the other hand, entered the re- 
doubt which Schaeck soon left, carrying a metal pot full of 
boiled stew (hutspot). Van der Laen and his freebooters, 
meanwhile, had sailed from the city-waters, and near Lam- 
men saluted the admiral's first galleys. 

" It seemed as if a thrill of joy had suddenly electrified 
the atmosphere, and inspired every living soul. 

" The avenues to the city were free ! The prayed-for 
relief had become a reality. 

'< Yea, verily — in behalf of the wretched people of Leyden 
God had wrought a miracle ! 

** What little Joppens had seen during the night had been 



314 The Sea Beggars. 

nothing more than the execution of the general's commands. 
Valdez, convinced that the positions of the besiegers had 
become untenable, had sent orders to Captain Borgia, whom 
he could no longer support from Leyderdorp, to evacuate 
the redoubt. 

" Boisot and his crews were filled with joy. No struggle 
had ever been crowned with greater triumph ! Unobstructed, 
unhindered, the fleet now sailed onward, protected in the 
rear by Vice-Admiral Willems. Supply ship upon supply 
ship, loaded with food for the famished, followed the advanc- 
ing galleys, and about eight o'clock the fleet and supply 
ships passed through the Vlietgat, thus arriving at last within 
Leyden's starving gates. 

" There a scene was enacted that brought tears to even 
the bronzed and hardened cheeks of the Zeeland Beggars. 
The banks of the canal were covered with a numerous 
multitude, looking pale and emaciated, but now with almost 
unnatural fire lighting up their burning eyes ; and, panting 
with desire, they stretched out their trembling hands for food, 
which, in full cargoes, was now depositing, one could say, at 
their very feet. Mothers raised on high their weeping chil- 
dren, whose misery was depicted on their wan, little faces, — 
the most impressive prayer for assistance. There was no 
time for systematic distribution. Those rough sailors, 
touched to their innermost soul, dug with both hands into 
baskets and casks, and threw bread and cheese and herring 
among the multitude, — a rain of manna in the desert. 
With sobs and tears, shouts and cheers, with all manner of 
manifestations, the starving caught hold of the food. They 
struggled and fought for that which fell to the ground. 
Old as well as young who could no longer remain on the 
bank, had thrown themselves into the canal, and, wading 
or swimming, had gone on to meet the approaching ves- 



The Relief of Leyden. 315 

sels. Amid shouts of joy, children sped homeward to 
their parents, sick with privation ; sobbing men hurried 
to their homes, able, at last, to provide plentiful food for 
their wives and children. With bread and cheese and 
herring in the uplifted hands, like trophies of victory, 
the people joyously shouted along the streets : ' Leyden is 
safe : Leyden has been relieved ! The Lord be praised for 
ever ! ' There was pushing and crowding, but a feeling of 
luxury and happiness, exquisite and inexpressible, pervaded 
all. 

" This change, brought about in a few hours, had, like a 
magic wand, altered the aspect of everything. The newly- 
introduced comedy, for the moment, almost entirely sup- 
planted the impression of the terrible tragedy scarcely 
ended. 

" But not long ; for the consequences of the misery they 
had lately passed through soon began to be manifest ; some, 
seduced to greediness on account of cruel starvation, and 
eating too heartily of the bread or the herring, immediately 
experienced the fearful consequences of their excusable 
intemperance, and suddenly expired with food between their 
teeth, while many others afterward paid for it with their lives. 

" The authorities resorted to speedy measures. By their 
orders, the supplies were conveyed to the St. Jacobs Hos- 
pital, and there stored and distributed, ' namely, for each 
person half a loaf, a piece of cheese, and one salted her- 
ring.' 

" But Sunday, although Leyden's Easter — feast of its 
resurrection — could not be passed with songs of praise and 
prayers of thanksgivings only. The enemy's headquarters 
had been cut off, and this favorable opportunity to take 
them must be utilized. Therefore, from the church to the 
enemy I 



3i6 The Sea Beggars. 

" But that enemy had already forestalled them ; the bold 
hunters found the beast of prey's lair empty. The fear — 
far from unfounded — for the watermen had taken a perma- 
nent hold of Valdez, and long before the Beggar trumpet 
sounded the ' Wilhelmus' at the passage of the Vlietgat, 
he had sounded the retreat. After embarking his artillery, 
besides his ammunition and his provisions, Valdez sent part 
of his troops to Ryswyck, and part to the Hague. He him- 
self entered a small boat, and, not without great danger, had 
reached dry soil, and also taken the road to the Hague. 
His retreat had cost him thirty men, besides four pieces of 
artillery. From the moat of the redoubt at Lammen, this 
same day, the people of Leyden fished up a Spanish cannon, 
partly sunk in the mire, the trophy having not a small share in 
strengthening their religious conception of the city's relief 
being a miracle. According to an inscription, this piece 
bore the name of ' Libertas.' To them this became a mys- 
terious symbol, as if some Old Testament apparition had 
risen with it from the waters, shouting across the plains : 
* The freedom for which you struggled — behold, you have 
gained it, and may this be your symbol ! ' 

" A wholly different spirit dominated the late besiegers. 
Surprise and consternation had gained the mastery over all, 
and they dispersed in all directions, not without undue pre- 
cipitation. Three galleys from Amsterdam, stationed in the 
Zyl — from which the city had been bombarded several 
times — now learning of the arrival of the Beggars, hastily 
fled. Their example was followed by the soldiers in the 
neighborhood, and from points even as far distant as the 
redoubts at Oude Wetering and the Kaag. A small ad- 
vance-guard of Beggars, marching in a northerly direction 
— twelve in number, it was said — chased away two com- 
panies of Spaniards. By droves they moved and fled, 



The Relief of Leyden. 317 

camp-followers and sutlers in the van. Twenty or thirty of 
those people had reached Amsterdam as early as nine 
o'clock on Monday morning ' wet and dirty,' not a little 
complaining of their sad fate, while they publicly declared 
' that the entire Spanish army had moved away and been 
dispersed, and that they themselves had abandoned their 
vessels and merchandise, barely escaping with their lives 1 ' 
Others added that ' they were followed by the entire Span- 
ish army ! ' Wounded Spanish soldiers, seeking refuge 
within Muyden or Utrecht, exclaimed disconsolately : 
' Everything is lost ! Everything is lost ! ' From Muyden 
a rumor circulated throughout North Holland that ' the 
enemy had abandoned all their artillery and munitions of 
war, yea, most of the soldiers their arms, many having per- 
ished or been slain.' 

" With the boastfulness of a true-born Hidalgo, the de- 
feated general notified the Leyden people and their saviors 
that his defeat in reality was no defeat at all. He purposely 
left the handsome map of Beeldsnyder, now useless to him, 
on the wall of the quarters he had just left, and wrote below 
it in unelegant Latin : ' Vale Civitas ; valete Castelli parvi ; 
relicti estis propter aquam, et non per vim inimicorum.' 
(Farewell, oh, city ! Farewell, oh, surrounding strongholds. 
You have been evacuated for the sake of the waters, not on 
account of the enemy's prowess ! ) 

" The loss of the enemy, who had invested Leyden with 
about ten thousand men, was, according to their own com- 
putation, estimated at one thousand. The fleet, whose 
total crews amounted to about two thousand five hundred, 
had not lost forty. 

" The evacuated intrenchments were now either immedi- 
ately occupied or demolished. At Ter Wadding, which was 
in uninterrupted communication with more elevated soil, 



3i8 The Sea Beggars. 

directly with Voorschoten and Wassenaar, the Spanish 
colors still floated until the twenty-ninth of November, when, 
after a general mutiny of the Spanish troops, they left their 
garrisons and repaired to Amsterdam. The redoubt there- 
upon was immediately leveled to the ground by the people 
of Leyden. 



" And now the city of Leyden could rightfully boast of 
having furnished the keystone to the foundation whereupon 
Netherland's liberty has been built. 

" Brielle reaped the first fruits of freedom ; victory began 
at Alkmaar — but if Leyden had fallen, the whole grand 
structure would gradually have tumbled into ruins." 



Part IlL 
Passing of the Sea Beggars. 



FINAL EFFORTS TO FREE FRIESLAND. 

SHORTLY after the capture of Briel the Sea Beggars 
divided into three bodies. One body remained at 
Briel and thence undertook expeditions into South 
Holland, resulting in the capture of several impor- 
tant cities. Another body went south and assisted in the 
defense of Flushing, the capture of Veer, the conquest of 
Zierikzee and Middelburg, as well as in the futile attempts 
against Goes and Tholen. 

The third body went north, and by their presence in the 
Vlie and on the Zuiderzee not only encouraged the burghers 
of Enkhuisen and Hoorn to throw off the yoke, but con- 
tinued to harass the commerce and the shipping of Amster- 
dam. This metropolis of Northern Netherland adhered to 
the side of the Spanish until 1578, and, consequently, every 
true patriot deemed it his duty to cause as much damage as 
possible to the city's interests. 

Antwerp, in the south, was in the same predicament, and 
the Zeeland freebooters damaged the commerce of that 
southern metropolis not only on the high seas and in the 
estuaries of the Scheldt, but more than once undertook 
raids against the city's shipping in the harbor itself. 

After a considerable part of Holland and Zeeland had 
thrown off the Spanish yoke, the States of Holland, at their 
first meeting at Dordrecht, on July 15th, 1572, assumed 
control of the war, under the leadership of William the 
Silent. In this they were followed two years later by the 
States of Zeeland. Thereafter the struggle at sea, as well as 
21 321 



322 The Sea Beggars. 

on land, in these two provinces at least, assumed the char- 
acter of an organized warfare, under the direction of a 
supreme and lawfully-constituted authority. As a conse- 
quence, the Holland and Zeeland Sea Beggars gradually lost 
their status of privateers and guerillas, and sooner or later 
entered the services of the States, either as sailors or 
soldiers. In Zeeland even the maritime cities of Flushing, 
Veer, and Zierikzee induced many of the Sea Beggars to 
take service under the city-flags, and hence we read of the 
navies and of the admirals of Flushing, Veer, and Zierikzee. 
These city navies subsequently took a conspicuous part in 
the war, bringing about the conquest of Middelburg and the 
reUef of Leyden. 

During the siege of Leyden, an independent body of 
privateers had been authorized by the city government and 
by the bailiff of Rhineland. They were not obliged to take 
part in the defense proper of the town, nor were they 
enforced to any other strictly military duties. Modeled 
upon the organization of the Sea Beggars, these " Free- 
booters," as they were called, under the supreme command 
of the former chatelain of the castles of Lockhorst and 
Warmond, Gerrit Van der Laen, were nearly all strangers at 
Leyden, but shortly before or during the siege had flocked 
thither in quest of adventure and booty. They usually 
sallied out by night, sometimes taking the roads, at other 
times visiting the surrounding streams and canals with their 
light skiffs or larger galleys, attacking or surprising the 
Spanish outposts and transports. Often they succeeded in 
bringing considerable quantities of provisions within the 
town. They were permitted to retain one quarter of all their 
booty, and the rest they contributed toward the general 
fund. The fact that they were yet active when relief ap- 
proached, is sufficient proof of their usefulness. 



Final Efforts to Free Friesland. 323 

More than once, in those troublous times, the States, as 
well as the city authorities, were unable to pay their enlisted 
forces. The former freebooters were thus obliged to resort 
to their old occupation, and to provide for themselves by 
plundering their country's enemies on the high seas as well 
as on the inland waters. Several of the Sea Beggars also 
did not relish a life of discipline under the flag of the States 
or of the cities, and they alternated between freebooting and 
soldiering, submitting to the latter only when necessity, or the 
excitement of a battle, induced them to enlist for the occasion. 

As late, therefore, as the beginning of 1574, the prince 
was obliged to publish decrees against the use of his flag by 
privateers not licensed by the States, who, at their first meet- 
ing, had revoked all previous commissions, and regulated 
the further conduct of the war. This act, so far as the 
provinces of Holland and Zeeland were concerned, had 
abrogated the organization of the Sea Beggars, as it hereto- 
fore had existed, and subjected them to new regulations, 
even as privateers. 

But if the main body, rank and file, of the Sea Beggars 
thus speedily lost their identity, and abandoned their roving 
existence, not so with those of Friesland and Groningen. 
Some of their chiefs, after the capture of Briel and the lib- 
eration of Flushing, had temporarily enlisted under the 
banner of Holland or of the cities of Zeeland. Most of 
them, however, had immediately left for the coasts and 
waters of their native provinces. Nearly all that had at 
first joined the ranks of the regulars, sooner or later went 
north, and united with their compatriots in the waters of 
Friesland. 

Those northernmost provinces, groaning under the yoke 
imposed upon them by the energetic De Robles, sighed also 
for liberty, and the, Frisian Sea Beggars resolved to do what 



324 The Sea Beggars, 

they could. Unfortunately, Holland and Zeeland, fully 
occupied within their own borders, could not be of much 
assistance ; while most of the other provinces, after having 
partly tasted the sweets of liberty for a few months, or 
sometimes for a few weeks only, again passed under the 
yoke of the foreign oppressor. The Northern Sea Beggars, 
therefore, had to rely upon their own efforts to bring about 
the desired result, receiving only once in a while what little 
assistance the sorely-pressed northern quarter of the province 
of North Holland was able to lend. 

Thus the guerilla warfare in the two northernmost prov- 
inces was kept up for several years longer, though the Fris- 
ian and Groningen Sea Beggars no longer quitted the coasts 
of their provinces for any extended sea voyages. Their 
only aim now was to harass as much as possible the Span- 
iards and the partisans of Spain within their borders. 

Their raids and attacks, though perhaps neither as fre- 
quent nor as widely scattered as before the taking of Briel, 
now became bolder and more systematic. A set purpose 
was soon discernible in nearly every raid made by them. 
It became their aim to acquire in their own provinces, espe- 
cially in Friesland, a foothold that would serve the same 
purpose as Briel, Flushing, and Hoorn served in the other 
provinces. More than once they obtained their object ; but 
in most cases it was only temporary. At one time, a few 
months after the taking of Briel, it appeared that Friesland 
would speedily follow the example of Holland and Zeeland, 
and that the Frisian Sea Beggars would see their patriotic 
efforts crowned with lasting success. But, as will be nar- 
rated later, che criminal cowardice, or worse, of a trusted 
official of the prince, dashed to pieces the brightening hopes 
of the people, and the liberators were obliged to begin anew 
and under less favorable conditions. 



Final Efforts to Free Friesland. 325 

Among the Beggar Chiefs who, immediately after the suc- 
cessful defense of Briel against Bossu, left Holland for 
Friesland, was the Frisian nobleman, Douwe Van Glins. He 
intended to do something of lasting benefit for the cause of 
liberty in his province, and he resolved to take up head- 
quarters on one of the islands north of Friesland and Gron- 
ingen. Hardly had he arrived, when, with two of his com- 
panions, he was surprised, captured, and, in company of 
several others, executed on the little Island of Rottumeroog. 

About the same time, Wybe Sjoerdsz and Tiete Van Het- 
tinga, two noted Sea Beggars, were more fortunate. In 
conjunction with Bronkhorst, who had come to the assist- 
ance of Friesland, they not only chased the royal galleons 
from the Frisian coasts, but even succeeded in temporarily 
clearing the entire Zuiderzee of Spanish warships. 

Immediately after the capture of Briel, the descents upon 
the Frisian coasts had become so persistent and so danger- 
ous to the royalists within the borders of the province, that, 
on April i8th, 1572, the court of Friesland was obliged to 
write to Alba for assistance, owing, as they said, to " the 
great danger and to the annoyance caused to the country by 
the freebooters." But this appeal availed them nothing ; 
for, in his reply. Alba stated that affairs in Zeeland had 
taken such a turn for the worse that he would need the 
whole of his available force for the subjugation of that 
province. Thus, as the other provinces were unable to assist 
Friesland with ships and men, they prevented Alba at the 
same time from sending such reinforcements as would un- 
doubtedly have rendered the cause of the patriots hopeless 
there. 

Something decisive from the Spanish side, however, had 
to be done, and the pro-Spanish magistrates of Harlingen 
offered to equip a squadron, if the country districts and the 



326 The Sea Beggars. 

other cities of Friesland would assist them. Robles also 
was to furnish the soldiers for the fleet. 

Now, since the city of Enkhuizen had gone over to the 
side of the prince, the danger to Friesland of raids by the 
Sea Beggars had much increased, and the States of the prov- 
ince were only too willing to consider Harlingen's proposi- 
tion. On May 20th, 1572, the Frisian diet convened at the 
capital of Leeuwarden, but such was the distress of the 
people, or the temper of the majority of the delegates, that 
only two thousand guilders were granted for the proposed 
equipment, under condition, however, that the grant was to 
be credited to next year's taxes. 

A few days before — during the night of May 17th — a 
well-armed body of Sea Beggars, about ninety strong, 
had made an attack upon the little city of Hinlopen, on the 
Zuiderzee. As was their custom, they paid a nocturnal visit 
to the most prominent and wealthy of the pro-Spanish 
burghers, and early in the morning departed for the Island 
of Vlieland, where they had their headquarters. On the 
evening of the i8th a goodly share of the booty found lodg- 
ing in the money-drawer of the local tavern-keeper, Claes 
Jansz, and six of the Sea Beggars had drunk so much that 
" they could neither walk nor stand." No wonder the Span- 
iards were often able to surprise them after a successful raid ! 

When the news of the raid upon Hinlopen came to the 
ears of the central authorities, two armed yachts were imme- 
diately despatched against them ; but the Sea Beggars sim- 
ply laughed at so feeble an armament, and the yachts re- 
turned without having accomplished anything. On the 19th 
of May another body of Sea Beggars ventured on the Sloter 
Lake, some distance from the coast — and committed many 
depredations. Friesland's stadholder, Barlaymont, on the 
following day issued a decree by which he commanded the 



Final Efforts to Free Frieslaad. 327 

local authorities along the coasts to keep a close watch, day 
and night. At the same time, he offered rewards, varying 
from twenty-five to seventy-five guilders, for the apprehension 
of " any of the extortioners who have committed the crimes 
on the aforesaid Sloter Lake." But neither the insignificant 
armaments nor the formidable edicts had the power to scare 
away the Beggars ; they replied to Barlaymont's proclamation 
by undertaking several successful raids into the district of 
Bildt. 

Robles also, meanwhile, had been taking his measures. 

The Sea Beggars having made a descent upon the city of 
Kuinder, for the purpose of getting arms, the Spanish com- 
mander, to prevent a repetition, speedily threw a company 
of soldiers into the town, and, at the same time, was scour- 
ing the entire province for ship carpenters. They were to 
be sent to Harlingen for .the equipment of the warships. 

By June seven ships were ready, but notwithstanding the 
most liberal promises, sufficient crews could not be found to 
navigate them. Not even the threat to punish unwilling 
sailors as " rebels against his Majesty " sufficed to man the 
fleet. In this emergency, however, Robles merely emptied 
the prisons of those convicts that were able to navigate 
ships, intending to make them serve out their sentences on 
shipboard, while his soldiers would at the same time keep 
them in check, and fight the Sea Beggars. 

Before ordering the ships to sea, Robles assembled a 
strong detachment of troops, and paid a visit to the cities of 
Kuinre, Workum, and Stavoren, for the purpose of frightening 
them, while a portion of his force was serving on the ships. 
On June 4th he arrived at Harlingen, and at six o'clock in 
the evening of June 7th the Spanish squadron left Har- 
lingen 's harbor, with a force of one hundred and fifty sol- 
diers under the command of Captain Moncheau. 



328 The Sea Beggars. 

The Sea Beggars again followed their customary tactics, 
and sought refuge either in the harbors of Hoorn and 
Enkhuizen, or in the neutral waters of the Ems. Still, Mon- 
cheau was fortunate enough to capture three Beggar ships. 
The captain and the crew of at least one of these ships were 
executed on the 13th of June on the beach near the city of 
Workum. 

As soon as the Spanish ships had departed, the Beggars 
returned, and carried on their depredations as usual. The 
great drawback against Spanish operations was a perpetual 
lack of money, which greatly favored the Beggars in their 
enterprises. Robles was continually obliged to withdraw 
the ships, as he could not command sufficient funds to keep 
them in supplies, his forces, fortunately, not being sufficiently 
strong to enable him to exert extreme pressure upon the 
reluctant Frisian and Groninger States to vote all the money 
needed to keep his ships in good condition. 

It appears that the sympathizers of the Beggars in these 
provinces publicly showed their satisfaction in their success, 
and did not hesitate to express opinions concerning them. 
On July 26th, 1572, Robles wrote that it would be necessary 
to augment his forces and to make an example of every cap- 
tured Sea Beggar, so that " the rebels in those sections shall 
not act so proudly, nor boast so boldly as they have hitherto 
done." 

But there was another and much more important reason 
not only for keeping the naval equipment in efficient condi- 
tion but for greatly augmenting it, as well as augmenting the 
Spanish land-forces. 

On July 14th, 1572, the prince had appointed as his stad- 
holder over Friesland, Count Joost Van Schouwenberg. 
Diederick Sonoy and Duco Martena a little earlier had con- 
ceived the plan of taking Robles' own headquarters, the city 



Final Efforts to Free Friesland. 329 

of Leeuwarden. Martena gathered as many Sea Beggars 
around him as he could assemble ; Sonoy sent the Frisian 
nobleman Hotze Van Buma with a company of soldiers ; 
while another Frisian Sea Beggar, Tiete Van Hettinga, went 
to Bremen and Hamburg, to enlist additional men. After 
all had been mustered, the entire expedition numbered less 
than twelve companies ; and with this weak force the bold 
leaders resolved to invade Friesland, expecting that their 
numbers would be materially increased by additions from 
the populace in the sections they were to traverse. As 
nearly always is the case, the people, however, were not 
inclined to take the part of the invaders until some signal 
advantage on their side should have convinced their waver- 
ing sympathizers among the populace that there existed a 
reasonable probability of success. 

It was not until the latter part of August that a portion of 
the Beggar forces presented themselves before Leeuwarden. 
At the city gates they were confronted not only by Robles' 
soldiers, but also by several companies of armed burghers. 
On August 17th Robles had required a new oath of alle- 
giance from Leeuwarden's people, and had thereupon armed 
them, " on account of which Duco Martena's attempt was 
frustrated." 

Other bodies of Sea Beggars, however, under Tiete Van 
Hettinga, Jan Van Bonga, and Hotze Van Buma had better 
success; on August 17th and 21st they took the fortified 
cities of Sneek and Bolsward. On the 24th Staveren 
opened its gates to the Sea Beggars ; and four days later the 
same thing was done at the important city of Franeker. 
Thus the Frisian Sea Beggars, with very little outside help, 
and almost at a single stroke, had liberated a large section 
of the western part of their native province. 

And the liberated populations were not backward in 



330 The Sea Beggars. 

showing their heartfelt gratitude for the happy turn of events 
in their province. The farmers of the district of the Bildt, 
for instance, presented the Beggar garrison of Franeker with 
provisions. On account of this, Robles, on September 12th, 
1572, wrote the grietmaji of the Bildt to order the farmers of 
his district to ship their grain immediately to Leeuwarden, 
several miles distant ; those not complying with the order 
to be punished " by the burning of their houses and barns, 
and the loss of life and property." 

After Harlingen, the city of Dockum, in the northeastern 
part of the province, was Friesland's most important harbor. 
A Sea Beggar, the Hollander Gysbertus, was, during the 
month of September, anchored with his ship and crew of 
sixty, under the lee of Ameland, waiting to strike a blow for 
liberty. Robles' difficulties in the western section of Fries- 
land suggested to Gysbertus the idea of making an attempt 
against Dockum, and securing to the Frisian Sea Beggars a 
harbor of the same relative importance as Brielle bore to 
Holland. He communicated his plan to Sippe Van Schel- 
tema, a Frisian nobleman whose castle had been destroyed 
by Robles, and who had sought refuge on the Island of 
Ameland. 

Van Scheltema, appalled by the magnitude of the under- 
taking, and by the seeming impossibility of success, de- 
murred at first. But Gysbertus pictured in glowng colors 
the woes of Friesland, and reminded Scheltema of his own de- 
molished castle, his uncertain exile, and pointed out the weak- 
ness of the Spanish forces in the province, so that the Fris- 
ian at last consented, and engaged heart and soul in the ven- 
turesome project. Jelmer Gabbes, another Frisian Beggar 
chief, who happened to be at the time at or near Ameland, was 
also approached by Gysbertus. The Beggar captain at first 
refused to take part in the undertaking, with the character- 



Final Efforts to Free Friesland. 331 

istic plea that his men could not stand against musketeers. 
Gysbertus, however, answered all of his objections, and 
Gabbes also was won over in favor of the undertaking. 
Other Beggar chiefs may have joined them, but history does 
not mention it. It is hardly probable that others did, as 
the main body of the Frisian Sea Beggars was fully occu- 
pied in the western districts of the province. 

They now went together to Oostmahorn, where thirty 
of Gysbertus' men, — one half his crew, — were soon landed. 
Scheltema was put in command of the expedition, which 
immediately took the road to Dockum. Even before the Sea 
Beggars disembarked, large numbers of peasants from the 
neighborhood had congregated near the landing-place. And 
when they learned of the intention of the Sea Beggars, many 
joined their ranks, continually strengthened by additions on 
the onward march to the city. Upon being informed of the 
approach of the Sea Beggars and their rural allies, the Court 
of Friesland immediately sent from Leeuwarden whatever 
troops it could spare, and at the same time apprised the 
Duke of Alba of the condition of affairs in the province. 

Soon Beggars and Spaniards closed in upon one another in 
the streets of Dockum, and a sanguinary battle ensued. At 
first it seemed as if the Beggars would be defeated, but the 
burghers quickly decided in favor of their liberators. The 
people of the city attacked the Spaniards on the streets and 
from the windows of the houses with showers of bullets and 
heavy stones, so that several Spanish soldiers were killed. 
The rest, after the loss of many prisoners, were -obliged to 
seek a place of safety in the city tower, where they were 
closely besieged by the victorious Sea Beggars and their 
allies from among the burghers. 

Robles was furious when he learned of this defeat, and 
he immediately sent a force of infantry from Leeuwarden 



332 The Sea Beggars. 

and a body of cavalry from Groningen with orders to sur- 
prise and regain the town. This time the enemy met with 
better success. After a fearful assault, he gained entrance 
into the city, and immediately began to celebrate his victory 
by wholesale slaughter and rapine ; afterward setting fire to 
the town, laying at least one third of it in ashes. He would 
not have stopped even then had he not been checked from 
a totally unexpected quarter. Jan Van Bonga and Sicke 
Van Tjessens, two Sea Beggar chiefs, informed of the 
horrible tragedy, soon appeared on the scene, drove away 
the enemy, and happily put a stop to what has since been 
known as the " Dockumer Fury." 

The prime mover of the expedition, Gysbertus, fared worse 
than the rest. After the loss of the battle he tried to effect 
his escape in a boat, but, owing to low tide, the boat stuck 
fast in the mud. He was overtaken by his pursuers who cut 
off his nose and ears, and then stabbed him to deatli. 

But even before their partial reverse at Dockum the Sea 
Beggars had suffered one much more serious, through the 
loss of Staveren. Upon the conquest of this city the Span- 
ish garrison took refuge in the castle, where they were closely 
besieged by the Beggars. On September 9th Robles sent 
seven companies of troops in aid of the besieged garrison. 
Accordingly, the Beggars were forced not only to abandon 
the siege, but were driven three days later from the positions 
they had subsequently taken up at Galamadam and Koudum. 

The Beggar garrison at Franeker was more fortunate. 
On the 1 6th of September the Spaniards hoped to follow up 
their success at Stavoren, and the other points, by making 
an attack against Franeker. Here, however, they met with 
such a hot reception that they not only failed but were 
obliged, for protection, to intrench themselves in the mon- 
asteries of Anjum and Lidlum, and at Berlicum. The dis- 



Final Efforts to Free Friesland. 333 

tricts of Menaldumadeel and Franekeradeel were then con> 
manded by Robles to provide for the needs of those troops. 

While Robles was thus fully occupied, even meeting with 
serious reverses on land, his watchful eye was closely scan- 
ning the conditions at sea. The Beggars that had remained 
on the deep, emboldened by the success of their friends 
within the province, had been more than usually trouble- 
some to the shipping. Not dreaming of any danger or op- 
position, they had chosen the Island of Vlieland as their 
headquarters, where they sold much of their booty. In the 
beginning of October Robles secretly sent a force of two 
hundred soldiers to the island, who there surprised and de- 
feated the Sea Beggars. During the battle Jelmer Gabbes, 
one of the leaders and heroes at Dockum, lost his ship and 
probably his life. 

A few weeks later the Frisian Sea Beggars suffered their 
first serious reverse in the field, — in a pitched battle near 
Berlicum, where Robles inflicted upon them a crushing de- 
feat. 

Ever since this reverse it seemed as if fate had turned 
against the cause of liberty in the province of Friesland. 
In the latter part of October a severe frost set in, and the 
newly-freed cities, in order to protect themselves against a 
surprise from the Spaniards, emptied upon their walls tons 
of water, which froze, and thus rendered scaling almost im- 
possible. This device, however, was of only temporary 
avail ; for about the middle of November the prince's stad- 
holder of Friesland, Joost Van Schouwenberg, after having 
collected a large amount of contributions for the payment 
and equipment of the forces, unexpectedly absconded. 
Robles did not fail to take immediate advantage of the 
confusion caused by Schouwenberg's scandalous flight. 
On November 2 2d he took the important but only partly- 



334 The Sea Beggars. 

finished redoubt at Mackum, and on the following day the 
city of Bolsward succumbed to his attack. A few days 
later Franeker was forced to surrender, its example being 
soon followed by Sneek. Thus the treacherous conduct of 
one man caused the patriots to lose the fruits of several 
months of hard fighting and of scores of valuable lives. 
The whole western part of Friesland again returned under 
the yoke of the alien tyrant. For the purpose of preventing 
a repetition of their late rebellion, Robles ordered the recon- 
quered cities partly to demolish their walls and defenses. 

Notwithstanding the many massacres and wholesale ex- 
ecutions of captured rebels, the roomy prison at Leeuwarden 
had become too small. Robles, therefore, had been obliged 
to appropriate a large private dwelling, which he had fitted 
out like a prison. In a letter dated November 20th, 1572, 
he wrote to Alba about the matter, and the worthy gov- 
ernor-general, in his answer on December 12th, deprecated 
the incurring of any expense for more prisons, advising his 
lieutenant " to empty the prisons by executing the prisoners, 
without detaining them long." 

Spanish successes again emboldened the pro-Spanish 
party in Friesland and Groningen. Wholesale arrests were 
made of people whose loyalty was suspected, and large 
numbers again sought safety in precipitate flight to hospit- 
able Emden and Bremen. 

At the close of 1572 almost the whole of Friesland was 
again lost to the cause of liberty, but the patriots were not 
disheartened. Two of Friesland's noblest and best known 
Sea Beggars, Jelte Eelsma and Hero Hottinga, had been 
fighting the battles of their country in the province of Hol- 
land ever since the capture of Briel. When they learned of 
the unfortunate turn of affairs in their native province they 
quit Holland, and with their ships and crews went to the 



Final Efforts to Free Friesland. 335 

waters of Friesland. Here they selected the Island of Ame- 
land for their headquarters, and as a rallying ground for the 
scattered Beggars — intending to renew the struggle as soon 
as their forces should have become sufficiently strong. 
Robles, however, was keenly alive to the danger threatening 
from this direction ; and at the beginning of 1573 he sent 
his lieutenant, Bustamente, with a strong force of soldiers to 
drive the Sea Beggars away. Eelsma and his companions, 
at the approach of the Spaniards, took refuge in the harbor 
of Emden, but immediately returned after the departure of 
the Spanish forces. 

The prudent chief, however, not deeming it wise to un- 
dertake anything of importance without a previous recon- 
noissance, went himself instead of sending any of his sub- 
ordinates. So on June 13th, 1573, attended by only one 
companion, he set foot on the beach near Holwerd. Un- 
fortunately, a Spanish guard had been stationed there ; and 
the two were challenged ; and though his companion was cap- 
tured, Eelsma succeeded in escaping to the beach. From 
there he tried to reach his boat by swimming, but the dis- 
tance was too great, and the noble patriot, hardly thirty-five 
years old, lost his life by drowning. In the following year 
his widow and little daughter met the same fate between 
Apingadam and Delfzyl, in the province of Groningen. 

While Eelsma and his associates on Ameland were pre- 
paring for their stroke, the other Beggars had not been idle. 
Where they were least expected they were sure to appear, as 
their many friends and sympathizers in the province could 
always inform them of the condition of affairs, and the 
probability of success. 

In May of that year the Beggars made a descent upon 
Oostmahorn, and succeeded in capturing several vessels 
loaded with grain. They would have taken the entire fleet 



33^ The Sea Beggars. 

had not the coast-guard, aided by a number of residents 
hurried to the beach and opened fire upon the marauders, 
who were obliged to retreat with only a part of their booty. 

It was now proposed to augment the coast-garrisons, but 
the Court of Friesland deemed this insufficient, and even un- 
necessary. What they wished was a strong squadron of 
warships, able to cope with any number of rebels. It was 
said in the many complaints that " daily " large numbers 
" of all kinds of pirates, sea-rovers, and other rebels of his 
Majesty, to the great consternation and fear of the inhabit- 
ants ", crossed over from the islands to the shore for pur- 
poses of plunder. To guard against surprises by the Sea 
Beggars, the court designated certain places where ships 
would be permitted to land, or from which they could sail. 
Disregard of this order by any master of vessels was punish- 
able by the confiscation and burning of his ship. 

The prince had long kept his eye on Friesland. Of all 
the conquests by the Sea Beggars in that province, Dockum 
alone had been preserved, and the great leader of the revolt 
against Spanish domination resolved to make the best of it 
for the cause. 

On July 2 2d, 1573, he organized a board of admiralty for 
Friesland, with headquarters at Dockum. On July i6th he 
had appointed Duco Martena as " Chief Admiral," while an- 
other noted Frisian patriot, Wybe Van Grovestins, was made 
vice-admiral a few days later. The newly-organized Frisian 
navy soon proved its usefulness. In the following August 
Martena sailed to the mouth of the Ems, to prevent, at least 
temporarily, the sailing from Delfzyl of a Spanish squadron. 

Martena was prevented from participating in the glorious 
victory on the Zuyderzee, October nth, 1573, only by the 
superior force opposed to him by Robles. The latter, with 
ten royal vessels, had captured seven grainships, coming 



Final Efforts to Free Friesland. 337 

from the Baltic, loaded with provisions for the North Hol- 
landers. But if Martena was prevented from taking part 
in the battle of the Zuyderzee he also prevented Robles' 
squadron from joining Bossu's fleet, and thus materially 
aided in bringing about the victorious result. 

Inasmuch as the Sea Beggars were powerless to gain 
over the city of Harlingen, they conceived the idea of de- 
stroying its usefulness to the Spaniards as a harbor by sink- 
ing a few old hulks near its entrance. The watchfulness of 
the Spaniards, however, frustrated every effort in this direc- 
tion, and Harlingen, for some years longer, remained a 
standing menace not only to the Frisian Sea Beggars, but to 
the province of North Holland. 

In 1576 another organized effort was made to free the 
unfortunate province. The Frisian exiles had more than 
once supplicated the prince to do something for their section 
of the country, but the precarious condition of both Holland 
and Zeeland had prevented him from rendering any efficient 
aid. With the conquest of Middelburg and the relief of 
Leyden his hands became freer, and he resolved to make a 
determined effort to help Friesland. 

The irrepressible Entens, entrusted with the command of 
the land-forces, went to the seaboard towns of Northern 
Germany to enlist more troops, probably from among the 
Frisian and Groninger exiles. They all went to the Island 
of Terschelling. Here Entens made his headquarters, and 
here he drilled and equipped his forces. Martena, mean- 
while, kept the sea clear, while Sonoy and Hegeman occu- 
pied the Islands of Texel, Vlieland, and Wieringen. 

As soon as Robles was informed of the preparations 

going on, he fitted out ships, embarked his own regiment, 

and went in quest of his enemy. When he became aware of 

the organization and the strength of his opponent, he 

22 



33 8 The Sea Beggars. 

deemed it wise to retreat into the harbor of Harlingen, and 
to wait till the Beggars should have divided their forces. 

In twenty-eight transports, procured from Bremen and 
West Friesland, — North Holland, — Entens conveyed his 
troops to the northern coast of Friesland, and disembarked 
at Oostmahorn. He hastily entrenched himself, and just in 
time to repulse a fierce attack by Robles, who had arrived 
too late to oppose the landing of the Beggar forces. The 
Spaniards in their futile attack lost nearly thirty men. After 
having reinforced himself with twelve hundred fresh troops, 
Robles again attacked Entens. The Spanish commander, 
repulsed a second time, now resolved to besiege the Beggars, 
and to starve them into surrender. 

With scarcely enough troops to defend his positions, and 
without sufficient provisions and ammunition, Entens had no 
fear, and counted on the speedy assistance of Sonoy. Robles 
had been obliged to denude all the coast towns of troops, in 
order to besiege Entens within Oostmahorn. It would 
therefore be easy for Sonoy, who commanded the sea, to 
throw a force into Friesland and cause Robles to abandon 
the siege. At this time, however, Sonoy began to be beset 
by many serious difficulties in his own government, and 
every prayer for assistance from Entens must remain 
unanswered. Entens then asked only for the necessary 
supplies ; but not even those could be granted. 

At last, so sorely pressed was he for lack of supplies of 
every kind, the gallant Beggar chief was obliged either to 
surrender or break through the investing army. He chose 
the latter ; and with his force of a thousand men he cut his 
way out. Once safely away, he disbanded his troops, each 
man being told to make his escape as best he could. 

The organization of the Dockum board of admiralty, and 
the appointment of Martena as admiral of the Frisian naval 



Final Efforts to Free Friesland. 339 

forces, resulted in the gradual dissolution of the Frisian Sea 
Beggars, as it had resulted in the other provinces. And 
when, in 1577, the province of Friesland was practically 
freed of Spanish domination, the Frisian Sea Beggars as a 
distinct force disappeared from the scene of action. And 
now that almost the whole of Friesland and of Groningen 
had been won for the cause of liberty, the freebooters began 
to work more damage to the commerce of the friends than 
to that of the enemy. Consequently, those few among 
them that refused to settle down, to ply their calling on the 
high seas against the common enemy, or to enter the service 
of the States, were soon suppressed by the strong arm of the 
law. Independent bands infested the Frisian waters as 
late as 1580, when Captain Jan Joosten was stationed with a 
warship near Oostmahorn, principally for the purpose of 
preventing those redoubtable Sea Beggars, Entens and 
Jeldert Wygers, from any longer preying upon the com- 
merce of their personal enemies. 

The Sea Beggars had served their purpose well as gueril- 
las. But after their country, mainly through their efforts, 
had partly acquired its liberty, their usefulness was gone, 
and they passed away, followed by the applause and the 
blessings of a grateful people. 



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